Tenpou's Distraction
by lechymonk
Summary: Field Marshall Tenpou Gensui has one thing on his mind, military strategy. But when his best friend, Kenren, hires a pretty woman to be his personal assistant, will Tenpou be able to ingore this beautiful distraction? Tenpou X OC  Not Yaoi
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Saiyuki or any of the guys. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura. The character of Kai is property of GojyoLoverForever. Kai and Kenren's story can be found in the fantastic story, Saiyuki Extreme, on Fanfiction dot net, under the author's name, GojyoLoverForever or on deviantart dot com under the author's name, Last-Remnant. She has generously lent me Kai for this story.

General Kenren Taisho whistled as he made his way to Tenpou's office. Kenren had just spent a very nice afternoon with Kai, a beautiful little healer, that Kenren had fallen in love with. Kenren shook his head and laughed at himself. "Love-em and Leave-em Kenren", was what the men he commanded had nicknamed him. That's who he was before he met Kai.

Kenren had been beaten and left to rot in one of the dungeon's in the palace, imprisoned by a man who held a grudge against him. Tenpou had rescued him and brought Kai to heal him.

Kenren got to his friend's door and knocked. He waited for an answer but there was none. He knocked again, louder this time and yelled out Tenpou's name.

"Hey, Tenpou! Ya in there?" A sound of books falling and a muffled yelp was the only response Kenren got. Kenren opened the door and went in to the messy office. Books, maps and scrolls were littered around the office. There was a huge pile of them on the floor next to one of the bookcases and Kenren could see a sandal poking out the top.

He went to the pile and shifted the books around until he uncovered his best friend, Field Marshall Tenpou Gensui. He was wearing his usual attire of dark pants, a light colored shirt and a white lab coat. A black tie hung loosely around his neck. Kenren held out a hand to his friend.

Tenpou looked surprised to see a hand. He didn't even hear anyone come in but that could be because he had almost been buried alive under a pile of books and maps. He looked up to see the smiling face of Kenren. "Oh, hello." Tenpou smiled back at his friend. Kenren shook his head. Tenpou really was hopeless.

Tenpou crawled off the pile of maps and books and stood up, brushing himself off. He was tall and thin with shoulder length dark hair. He didn't wear it tied back, that would take too much effort. Tenpou wasn't concerned with his appearance. His clothes looked like he slept in them and he usually did. His frog ashtray on his desk was crammed with cigarette butts that he never seemed to find the time to empty. In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that Goku loved to play with the little frog, it probably would never be emptied. But, that was a job that the little golden eyed boy took it upon himself to do for his Ten-chan.

Tenpou turned back to his bookshelves, already forgetting Kenren had come in and saved him. His long, graceful fingers searched through the maps on the shelves. He was muttering to himself. "Eastern edge of heaven, not that one…Western ridge, no, I don't want that…ah, here it is! The Southern Seas!" Tenpou removed the map from the shelf, bringing down several more with it.

Kenren watched his friend, his arms across his chest and one black eyebrow arched. This was getting ridiculous. You could barely move in this office without something falling on you and no matter how many times he, Konzen and Goku came to help clean, Tenpou let it get this way again.

For awhile, Kenren had been thinking about bringing up the subject of Tenpou having someone come in daily and clean, but either the timing never seemed right or they got roped into helping clean and the subject was closed. Kenren really didn't mind helping but he didn't want to spend his spare time in here. He wanted to spend it in dark corners of the palace with Kai.

"Oi, Tenpou!"

Tenpou looked up from the map on his desk, a look of surprise on his face. Kenren rolled his eyes. Tenpou had been concentrating on the map and had forgotten Kenren was in here. That man needed a distraction. And what better distraction than a pretty woman. Kenren laughed out loud as an idea came to him but he needed to talk it over with Kai first.

Kenren turned on his heel and made his way through an obstacle course of books and maps to the door. He raised his hand and waved to Tenpou. "See ya, buddy." Tenpou gave a half-hearted wave, his mind already returning to his map.

Later that night, Kenren and Kai were in his apartment. Kenren was stretched out with his back up against the arm of his couch and Kai was on his lap, cuddled against his chest. They hadn't consummated their relationship. Kenren respected her too much to make love to her before he married her. He hadn't asked her yet, but the subject of marriage was on his mind much more lately. He played with her long, silky hair while he thought of the best way to bring up the subject of Tenpou and his office.

"I've never asked you this before but do you have a lot of friends? Close friends?" Kai shifted around to get a better look at Kenren's face. "Any friends who have a job in the palace that they hate and would be willing to leave?"

Kai thought for a moment. "Yes, I have a friend named Chizuru. We've been friends since we were children. Why do you ask?"

"What's she like?" Kai's heart sank. Maybe Kenren was getting tired of her and didn't want to be with her anymore. Chizuru was pretty. She had long ash blonde hair and a welcoming smile. She was a little taller than Kai and a more womanly shape. She had a loving personality and found joy in the littlest things.

Chizuru met Kai soon after Kai's parents were killed. She was walking through the sakura trees one day and overheard Kai crying. She kneeled down next to the sobbing girl and hugged her. Kai was shocked at first, but was soon crying on the girl's kimono. From that moment on, they were the best of friends.

"She's nice…" Kai trailed off and began twisting her hair. Kenren knew Kai did this when something was bothering her and didn't want to tell him. Kenren took her hands in his and brought them to his lips and kissed them.

"Hey, look at me." He tilted her face up and saw unshed tears in her eyes. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? Did you and Chizuru have a fight? Is that why you're crying?" He really didn't handle crying women very well. He got more concerned when she started to cry in earnest. "Come on, tell me what's wrong."

"I thought you liked me." She hid her face in her hands. "But if it's Chizuru you want, I won't stand in your way." She struggled to break from Kenren's embrace.

If Kenren lived to be a hundred, he knew he would never understand women. He had never even met this Chizuru and here was Kai, ready to hand him over to her. Kenren pulled Kai's hands away from her face and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Kai, I've never even met your friend. What makes you think I would want her? It's you I love." He kissed her lips softly, tasting the saltiness of her tears.

Kai responded by crying harder. Kenren gathered her in his arms and waited until she stopped crying. A few minutes later, her crying had subsided enough that she could talk again. "Why are you interested in Chizuru?"

"I'm not interested in Chizuru for me, I'm interested in her for Tenpou. His office is beyond once-in-awhile help and he needs someone to come in everyday and clean it. Books aren't in alphabetical order, maps strewn all over the place and let's not talk about his clothes! Both he and his office need serious help."

"But hasn't Tenpou always said he didn't need help?"

"Yeah, but today I went to his office looking for him and he was buried under a pile of maps and books. I wouldn't have known he was under there if it wasn't for his sandal poking out through the top of the pile." Kai giggled, imagining the sight. "So, I got to thinking. Instead of Tenpou hiring someone, why don't I do it? I am a general after all and while Chizuru wouldn't be in the army, she could work for me." Kenren kissed the top of Kai's head. "Where does she work now?"

"In the palace kitchens and she hates it. She says it makes her hot and sweaty." Kenren wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at Kai and she slapped his arm. She laughed. She really did love this man, although sometimes, he was impossible. "I'm sure she would jump at the chance to get out of the kitchens and work for Tenpou. Would you like me to bring her here tomorrow? Around 11 am?" Kenren nodded and hugged her close. All other thoughts left his mind as he captured Kai's lips in a searing kiss.

The next day, Kai brought Chizuru to meet Kenren. Kai had told Kenren all about her the night before and she was just like Kai had said, bright, cheerful and full of life. Just the opposite of Tenpou.

Chizuru bowed before Kenren. "I am honored to meet you, General. Kai has told me a lot about you and I am glad you make her happy." She rose and met his eyes. "Although, if you break her heart, I'll cut your manhood off." She said the last part with a big smile but Kenren could see she was serious. Damn! She seemed a little blood thirsty. Maybe she was more like Tenpou than he first thought.

"Kai, can I talk to you…now?" Kenren motioned Kai over to a corner of the room. Kai left Chizuru and the girl sat on the couch. "What the hell were you thinking?" Kai crossed her arms over her chest, her expression stormy, while she waited for Kenren to explain himself. "This…this…wench is all wrong for the job."

"Did you just call my best friend a wench?" Oops, Kenren thought. "I'll have you know she's loyal, a hard worker, fun to be around and would do anything for the ones she loves!" Kai poked Kenren in the chest with her index finger each time she listed a point in Chizuru's favor. God, she was sexy like this. Her eyes were blazing, her cheeks flushed and her touch was driving him crazy. " You wanted me to find someone that would be willing to help Tenpou and I did and now you change your mind?" She licked her lips, getting ready to give Kenren another piece of her mind.

That did it. Kenren grabbed Kai and with one hand on her shoulders and one hand spanning her lower back, kissed her with all the pent up passion he had. She melted against him, her hands grabbing his leather jacket and bringing him closer to her.

Chizuru coughed to try and get their attention. They kept on kissing. She tapped her foot and looked at the ceiling. This could be awhile, she thought. Might as well find this Tenpou Gensui and introduce herself.

She left the lovers in Kenren's rooms and went in search of Tenpou. She knew what he looked like, but she was sure she had never met the man in person. She walked along the blocks of apartments, wishing that these people had their names on the doors. She peeked into open doors now and then but not one of them led to Tenpou's apartment.

A blur of brown ran by her. She watched the child known as Goku knock on a door, fling it open and yell, "Ten-chan!" This must be it, she thought and went to the door Goku had entered.

Even though it was open, she didn't want to just barge in, so she knocked on the frame of the door. The little boy with the gold diadem on his head was rummaging through a huge desk. She heard him squeal with glee and watched as he took out crayons and paper. He pushed books and maps aside to make room for himself on the floor of the office.

Kai wasn't kidding. This place was a disaster area. Books were crammed on shelves with no order, maps crammed into corners of the room and on one small table, scrolls were piled on top of each other, threatening to collapse. Cigarette butts poured out of a frog ashtray. There wasn't one surface that didn't have some sort of clutter on it. She shook her head. She hoped Kenren paid well.

She knocked on the door frame harder and yelled a greeting. Goku looked up from the floor and Chizuru thought she saw some brown hair from behind a pile of books on the massive desk. She waved at Goku. He smiled at her and bounded up to her.

"Hi! My name is Goku! What's yours?" He took her hands in his and led her where he had been drawing. He was a friendly little thing. Many people in the palace spoke of Goku in whispers. He was a heretic and he was feared by many. Chizuru took in his smiling face and happy attitude. People were judgmental in this place, so it was entirely possible they were wrong about Goku.

I'm Chizuru and I'm here to help." She sat down and admired the crude, childish drawing.

"Help with what?" Tenpou poked his head over the stack of books surrounding the top of his desk. Chizuru stood up to get a better look at Tenpou.

Chizuru smiled at him. "General Kenren has offered me a new job as your personal assistant. I used to work in the kitchens and I hated it. My friend, Kai, told the general how much I hated working there and he offered me this job and I accepted." Well, that was stretching the truth a bit. Kenren hadn't exactly gotten around to offering her the job. He was too busy kissing Kai. "I would be happy for work for you, Field Marshall Tenpou. If you want, I can get started right away." She bowed.

Tenpou came from behind his desk to stand in front of the woman. He was flabbergasted! The nerve of Kenren. To go behind his back and hire someone to come in and clean. Why, Kenren might as well have come out and said that he was a slob. So, his clothes were rumpled and he'd been wearing the same tie for a week, that didn't mean he was a…Tenpou sighed. Maybe he was a little messy.

As if his possessions were determined to prove the point, the scrolls that were balanced precariously on a table, came rolling down. Goku ran out of the way of the avalanche of scrolls and bumped into Tenpou's desk. The tower of books swayed for several seconds, everyone in the room holding their breath to see if the tower would stand. The tower righted itself. Goku jumped up, his thin arms high in the air, cheering. However, his landing was just enough to send the books tumbling down. The sound was horrendous and Goku ran for cover behind his new friend, Chizuru.

He grabbed her kimono and hid his face in the folds of the fabric, frightened that Tenpou might yell at him for knocking the books over. Chizuru reached behind her and put her arm around Goku's shoulders, reassuring him that she would protect him.

When the dust settled, Tenpou looked at his office. Maps were falling off the walls, scrolls unrolled and decorated the mountain of fallen books, like discarded ribbons from a birthday party. His emerald green eyes met Chizuru's deep brown eyes. She almost smiled at the look of total dejection on his face, but managed to hide her smile.

"You're hired."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Saiyuki or any of the guys. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura. I do own Chizuru. Kai is the property of my good friend, GojyoLoverForever. She has graciously lent her to me for this story.

"You're hired."

Tenpou sighed as he said the words. He couldn't deny it anymore. He was too immersed in his military planning to even try to keep his office in some sort of order. His private rooms were even worse. Clothing littered the floor of his bedroom and who knew the last time his bed had been made or even when the sheets had been changed.

"If you would like, I can change into more suitable clothes and get to work today. Would after lunch be alright with you?" Chizuru was wearing her best kimono, a midnight blue color with whooping cranes on it. She had plenty of work clothes back in her tiny room.

"Yes, that would suffice. I usually eat something here, so I will be here when you come back." Tenpou looked at Goku, who had been standing quietly next to Chizuru. His little hand still had a grip on her kimono. "Would you like me to fix you some lunch, too, Goku?

Goku was torn. He wanted to stay with his Ten-chan, but he didn't want to leave his new friend either. If he stayed here, he would get something to eat and Goku never passed up a chance to eat. But, if he was allowed to go with Chizuru, he would be going on a new adventure and that sounded like fun, too. Chizuru took the decision out of Goku's hands.

"How about this…Goku, would you like to come with me to get something to eat? I have to go to the kitchens and let them know I won't be working there anymore. I know they would be willing to let you eat all the leftovers from lunch." She leaned down to whisper in his ear. "And I know where they keep the ice cream. I can make you a giant sundae, with chocolate syrup, bananas, nuts and all the whipped cream you want." She smiled at Goku. His golden eyes glazed over as he thought about all the food he could eat and the giant sundae for dessert.

Goku threw his arms around Chizuru's waist, almost knocking her over in his excitement. "Yes, yes, yes!" He let go of her and went to Tenpou. "It's ok to go with Chizuru, right Ten-chan? I promise to behave and use my manners, just like you've been teaching me." His eyes begged for Tenpou to say yes.

Tenpou ruffled Goku's already messy hair. "Of course, Goku. You don't need my permission. And I'm sure if Konzen was here, he would give you permission to go." Goku gave Tenpou a brief hug and raced back to Chizuru's side. She took his little hand in hers and gave it a squeeze.

The pair left Tenpou's office. Tenpou smiled. Chizuru seemed nice. Tenpou thought she was probably a lot like her friend, Kai. Quiet, a little shy until you get to know her, and very ladylike. Just the kind of help he needed. One that wouldn't be a distraction. Tenpou turned his thoughts from Chizuru and went back to his battle planning.

Chizuru and Goku made their way to the kitchens. The lunch rush was over and the staff was relaxing, eating their lunch in the main dining hall. They had a few hours before they needed to get ready for dinner. Chizuru searched the hall for her boss. She couldn't wait to tell him she had a better job. She wouldn't miss this place.

"Goku, I need you to wait here for a few minutes while I find someone. When I'm done talking to him, I'll get you something to eat." Goku sat down at one of the long tables where the soldiers sat. Most of the single soldiers ate in the dining hall at least twice a day. Married soldiers could eat here, but they usually chose to eat with their families in their apartments.

Chizuru went to look for her boss. Goku could feel the eyes of the kitchen workers on him. They were staring at him and talking quietly to each other. Goku hated this. When he was with Konzen, other people just ignored his presence. But when he was alone, people stared or talked behind their hands to each other. He wasn't stupid. He knew people either thought he should be banished from heaven or worse, killed. But, he had friends who liked him. Konzen, Tenpou, Kenren, Kai and now his new friend, Chizuru.

Chizuru returned from the kitchens, carrying two plates loaded with food. Her boss wasn't pleased with the fact she was quitting, but Chizuru didn't care. Chizuru was out of the hot kitchens and starting a job she was sure she would like. She put the plates down in front of Goku and noticed the strange look on his face. He almost looked like he was going to cry.

She touched his arm. "What's wrong?" He gave her a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. He was hiding something. "Did someone say something to you? Did they hurt you?" Chizuru looked around the dining hall, her eyes fierce. She made friends here but if they hurt this child, she would never forgive them. "Goku, answer me. What happened while I was gone?" She tried to keep the anger out of her voice, but it was no use. One of these people either did or said something to hurt Goku.

"Naw, I'm ok. I was just waiting for you. I'm hungry!" He smiled but Chizuru could see he wasn't telling her the truth. He pulled one of the plates to him and started to eat. "Mmm, this is good! Thanks for bringing me here and feeding me."

Chizuru watched him for a bit. She wished he trusted her enough to tell her what was wrong. She picked at the food on the second plate, but she wasn't hungry anymore.

One of the women stood up from the table nearest to them and came over. Her name was Runa. Chizuru never liked this woman. She was much older than Chizuru, maybe in her late 50's, and she always had a sour expression on her face. Like she had been sucking on lemons. She was judgmental, opinionated and just plain nasty. Runa stared at Goku and her.

"What are you doing with that…thing, Chizuru? You know what it is, don't you?" She was pointing to Goku.

Chizuru didn't look at Runa. "I'm eating Runa. Please leave me and my new friend alone. We were talking and you interrupted us." She could feel Goku scooting away from her. She grabbed him and hugged him next to her. She didn't care what anyone else thought about her and she wanted to show Goku that she didn't mind being seen with him.

Runa crossed her arms over her chest. "You know, I am your direct supervisor and I don't appreciate you talking to me like this. Even though you aren't at work, you should still show me the respect I deserve." Chizuru longed to wipe the smug look off of Runa's face. "I could have you fired."

"You could, but it would be a wasted effort. I quit today." Chizuru looked up at Runa and smiled. "I'm working for someone else now."

"Who in their right mind would hire you?"

"Field Marshall Tenpou Gensui." Chizuru went back to eating, as if it was no big deal that she was working for one of the most powerful men in the Army.

Runa stared at Chizuru in disbelief. She always thought Chizuru had been full of herself, but to sit here, with the heretic, like she owned the place, was too much for Runa. But, if Chizuru really worked for Field Marshall Tenpou, she was under the protection of one of the most powerful men in heaven. And while Runa may dislike Chizuru, she wasn't foolish enough to pick a fight with the Field Marshall.

Ignoring Runa, Chizuru turned her attention back to Goku. He had finished his food and was still quiet. She had only met him today, but she sensed that this wasn't normal for him. She decided to skip the ice cream and take him out of here. She stacked the two plates and shoved them in the direction of Runa. "Take care of these, will you?" She didn't wait for an answer but took Goku's hand and left the dining room.

Chizuru was furious. Couldn't they see he wasn't dangerous but just a child. Anger made her steps longer and faster and Goku trotted to keep up with her. "It's ok, ya know. I'm used to being treated like that." Chizuru stopped suddenly and gathered Goku in her arms. Tears filled her eyes as she thought back on her childhood.

Unloved and unwanted, she was treated like Goku. Her parents died when she was only 2 and she was shuffled from relative to relative. Her father was in the Western Army and when he died in battle, her mother, a healer, took her own life not wanting to live without her beloved. Chizuru had often wondered if she was such a horrible baby, that no one wanted to be with her. Sure, her relatives took care of her basic needs but that was it.

She promised herself that when she became a mother, she would never treat her child the way she had been treated. She gave Goku one last squeeze. "Come on, Tenpou will be expecting us soon and I still have to get changed." He smiled up at her. "And you can help me get Tenpou organized."

She took Goku to her tiny room. They had to leave the main palace, for the servant's rooms were in one large building behind the palace. Her room was tiny. Just a bed, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a window. It was very similar to the dorms for the single soldiers. Goku thought the room was ugly and plain but he would never tell his new friend that.

Chizuru changed into work clothes, after making Goku face the wall. He might be a child but she didn't want him to see her nude. She changed into a faded red tunic that fell to her knees, but had slits up the side to her hips. Under that, she had tight black pants made out of stretchy material. She brushed her long ash blonde hair and braided it. The braid fell almost to her waist. She put on her little black flat shoes and she was ready to go.

They made their way back to Tenpou's apartments, Goku chattering all the way. He had already put the incident in the dining room in the back of his mind. He told Chizuru all about Tenpou, Kenren and Konzen. Tenpou was messy and absent-minded, but treated him like a little brother. Kenren also treated Goku like a little brother, but they argued a lot. Goku liked to beg for piggyback rides from the General. Kenren would tell him no, Goku would pout and Kai would step in and ask Kenren so sweetly to just give him one ride. Kenren would grumble about it but Goku would get his ride. But it was Konzen that Goku talked about the most. He clearly adored the tall man with deep purple eyes and looked at him as a father figure.

The door to Tenpou's office was open so they went in without knocking. It wouldn't have mattered anyway. Tenpou wouldn't have heard them. He was leaning back in his desk chair, feet on the desk, sound asleep. Goku ran to the drawer where his crayons were located and pulled them out, got some paper and settled himself on the floor. Chizuru took advantage of Tenpou being asleep to study the man.

He was tall, she only came up to his shoulders, and he was so thin. He probably got caught up in his work and forgot to eat. His hair was long in the back but rather wild in the front. Bangs came down almost covering his glasses. His eyes were closed but she remembered they were a deep green. Beautiful, really. He had full lips, that were slightly parted in his sleep. His hands fascinated her. He had long, tapered fingers and currently, they were laced together over his flat belly. He really was a handsome man.

He wasn't a looker like Konzen, who was almost too beautiful for a man or one like General Kenren, who's smile spoke of earthy pleasures. This man was gentle but with a core of steel. Chizuru shook her head. At this rate, she would never get started.

She stood in the middle of the room, debating where to start. She gave a little laugh. It really didn't matter where she started, the whole place needed help. She decided to start with the books.

"Goku?" He looked up from his picture. "Do you know the alphabet?"

Goku shook his head no. "Tenpou is teaching me to count, though."

"Would you like to learn the letters of the alphabet?" She was currently picking out the books beginning with the letter A. "I know a little song that will help you remember your letters. Would you like to learn it?" She cleared a place on the first shelf. Dust settled around her, almost blending in with her hair. She sneezed.

"Bless you. Tenpou taught me to say that after someone sneezes." Chizuru sneezed again. "Bless you."

Chizuru smiled at him as she blew her nose with a small hanky that had been her mothers. She had nothing else from her mother, the rest of the relatives had taken everything, saying it was payment for taking care of her. "How about you just say one big "Bless you" and that will cover the whole day. With this much dust covering these shelves, you're going to be blessing me all day!" Goku hugged his knees to his chest and nodded. He was giggling and the sound warmed her heart.

Tenpou sighed in his sleep and they both stopped and watched him. He shifted his head to the other side and began to snore softly. Goku giggled again.

"Ok, now let's teach you the alphabet song. I'll sing it first so you know how it goes and then we can sing it together. Ready?" She cleared another shelf for the books beginning with A. She started walking all around the office, looking for the books starting with A.

"But, I don't know what the letters look like." Goku sounded defeated. He so wanted to learn but the men were so busy with their jobs, they didn't have much time left over for teaching.

"Don't worry about that now. Let's just start with the song and later on, I can teach you what they look like." She paused and wiped a few stray hairs out of her eyes. "Ok, here we go."

Tenpou was dreaming. In his dream, a woman and a child were singing. He was confused. He didn't have a wife or a child, so who was this woman and why was she teaching this child the most annoying song? He had heard this song a long time ago, on one of his visits to the lower world.

"Now I know my Abc's , next time, won't you sing with me?" Chizuru finished with a flourish, arms spread wide. Goku clapped and jumped up to hug her. "Are you ready to try it with me, Goku?"

"Not now. I like to hear you sing. Do you know any more songs?" His golden eyes were pleading with her. "Please…anything you know. I just love to hear singing!"

Chizuru thought for a moment. There was another song she knew that used the alphabet. "Well, I do know this one…A, you're adorable…B, you're so beautiful…" She did a little dance around the office, being careful not to wake up Tenpou. Although, when she passed his chair, she couldn't help pushing his bangs out of his eyes. She touched his cheek and was surprised when he rubbed his cheek against her hand. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "C, you're a cutie filled with charms."

This beautiful woman in his dream was singing to him. He wanted to make it last forever. His life was filled with nothing but military strategy. He wanted something more. He reached out for the angel singing to him and pulled her to him. The dream was so real that he could feel the weight of her in his lap. She was so soft and smelled so good.

Chizuru was shocked when Tenpou's arm reached out for her and dragged her down on his lap. She was sure he was still sleeping or he never would have done something like this. His arms went around her, making her feel protected. She removed his glasses and set them down in the desk. "D, you're a darling and E, you're exciting." She whispered so only Tenpou could hear.

Goku was watching them with a strange look on his face. Ever since he met Ten-chan, he'd never seen him act this way with a woman. In fact, he always said he was too busy to woo a woman.

Chizuru wanted Tenpou to open his eyes so she could see his beautiful green eyes again. She was never this forward with a man before, but something about this man was different. He acted like he didn't need anybody, but she was sure that was just a front. She brushed the hair out of his eyes again, her touch feather light. He sighed.

His angel was tempting him. She had called him "darling" in her song and he felt the urge to kiss her. He was never one to take a single step without thinking through all the consequences but there was a first time for everything. He kissed his angel.

Chizuru was surprised to feel Tenpou's lips on hers. They weren't soft but a little rough, what she would have expected from a man who spent a lot of time of a battlefield. But he knew how to use them. His lips brushed over hers, gently at first and then more insistent. It was her first kiss and she didn't know what to do. She had heard women talking in the kitchens about kissing and some of the talk really sounded disgusting. Tongues in their mouth, lips grinding against each other. She kept her lips closed but not tightly shut.

It wasn't good enough for Tenpou. He wanted to taste his angel but she wouldn't open her mouth. He nipped at her bottom lip and she gasped. He took advantage and sealed his mouth over hers. He slipped his tongue between her lips and gently touched her tongue. She shivered and moaned. He captured the sound with his mouth. One of his hands went around to the back of her head, tilting her head so he could deepen the kiss.

This was nothing like she expected. The kiss was hot, wet and thoroughly arousing. When she felt his tongue touch hers, the last thing she expected was the shot of desire coursing through her. She cuddled against him and let him take control. Her hands threaded through his hair. It was soft and felt good against her fingers.

"Hey, wait a minute! Are you two in love like Ken-chan and Kai? I thought you didn't know her Ten-chan." Goku stood up and pointed at the couple kissing in the chair.

Tenpou stiffened. Now he was hearing Goku in his dream. How the hell did Goku get in his dream? He opened his eyes to see Chizuru sitting on his lap, lips swollen, like she had just been kissed thoroughly. Her brown eyes had a dreamy look to them and she was staring at Tenpou. His eyes widened as he realized that he had been kissing Chizuru and not some nameless angel from his dream. He stood up so fast, he dumped her to the floor. She landed on her bottom, a look of pain on her face.

He stuttered for the right words to say. He should apologize to her but he was still stunned to have woken up with a beautiful woman on his lap. Not only on his lap, but he had been kissing her! This wasn't like him. He started to speak but no sound came out. He turned, stumbled over some maps laying on the floor and fled from the room.

Chizuru looked at Goku. She was beginning to cry. Goku came over to her and tried to comfort her, but she just cried harder. Goku started to panic. He had no idea what to do with a crying woman. He thought about getting Konzen, but Konzen wasn't the "cry on my shoulder" type. Kenren was out. Goku didn't think Kai would like Kenren comforting her friend, no matter how good of friends they were. Kenren mentioned something a long time ago about kissing the tears away. Goku slapped himself on the forehead. Kai! Why didn't he think of her earlier?

"I'm going to get Kai and I'll be right back!" Goku was up and out of the room before Chizuru could speak. She started to cry harder. She didn't want to burden her friend and she certainly didn't want to tell her she kissed Tenpou. Chizuru waited on the floor where Tenpou had dumped her off of his lap, feeling like nothing but a little ball of misery.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Saiyuki or any of the guys. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura. I do own my original characters. Kai is on loan to my from GojyoLoverForever. Please check out her brilliant story, Saiyuki Extreme.

Goku ran through the palace, his chains rattling. Where would Kai be? He didn't want to go to her room for she lived near Li-Touten and Goku was told never to bother him.

He ran to Kenren's apartments, hoping she would be there. He threw open the door and was too shocked to speak. There, pacing the small office of General Kenren, was Ten-chan. He was agitated and yelling at Kenren. Goku had never seen his Ten-chan like this. Tenpou was always calm, perfect temperament for a military strategist. This Tenpou, however, was currently waving his arms around and once in a while, would point at Kenren and glare at him. Kenren was sitting in a chair, arms crossed over his chest, with a smug smile on his face.

"And then she had the nerve to kiss me." Tenpou paced around the little office of his friend. "Can you believe it? She took advantage of me in my sleep!" Tenpou stopped pacing and looked at Kenren. "Is this the type of woman you hire? She's supposed to be organizing my office and she is singing, teaching Goku this horrendous song about the alphabet and sitting on my lap, kissing me!"

Kenren was having a hard time holding back his laughter. This is what he was hoping for when he hired Chizuru. Someone to pull Tenpou's head out of his books and see what he was missing from life. His only regret was he missed the look on Tenpou's face when he realized he was kissing a woman he'd only met that morning.

"She wasn't kissing you, you kissed her first!" Goku came into the room. "She was teaching me the alphabet and after the first song, I asked her to sing another one. She went by you and next thing I see, you pull her onto your lap and then you kiss her!" Goku stood with his little fists raised, ready to defend his new friend.

Tenpou's mouth dropped open. But, that was just a dream. He was dreaming of an angel singing to him, not Chizuru. He did remember thinking in his dream how he could feel her and how real the dream was. He closed his eyes and groaned. He wasn't fully asleep, just dozing like he usually did after lunch.

"Where's Kai, Kenren?" Goku turned to look at Kenren.

"She's in my study, mixing medicines. Why?"

"Because Chizuru is crying and it's all Ten-chan's fault."

"My fault?" Tenpou sat down in a chair opposite of Kenren. "She's crying because I kissed her?"

"No, you idiot! She's crying because after you woke up and saw her, you stood up so fast, you dumped her on the floor! You hurt her feelings." Goku pointed his finger at Tenpou. "So, now I need Kai to make her stop crying."

Kai heard Tenpou burst in Kenren's office, yelling. Kai stepped out from Kenren's study and closed the door. She took in the scene before her. Kenren sitting in a chair, holding back laughter. Tenpou, looking totally confused and Goku, looking ready for a fight. She walked over behind the chair Kenren was sitting in and placed her hand on his shoulder. He put his hand over hers and squeezed.

"What's going on?" All three tried to answer her at once. She held up her hand for quiet and decided to ask Goku. He looked the most upset…well, Tenpou was a close second.

"Chizuru is on the floor of Tenpou's office, crying. She needs you."

"Is she hurt? What happened, Goku? Did she fall?" Kai started to move away from Kenren's chair, when his comment stopped her.

"She's not hurt. Unless you call being kissed by Tenpou and then dumped on the floor, hurt."

"W…what?"

Goku ran to Kai and pulled on her hand. "Just come with me. Chizuru is upset and you're her friend. She needs you."

Kai left Kenren's office after Goku assured her that Chizuru wasn't hurt but he wouldn't tell her anymore than that. She tried to ask him what had happened but he wasn't making much sense. He told her Chizuru was singing and Tenpou kissed her.

Goku opened the office door and went in. Chizuru was still where he left her, sitting on the floor behind Tenpou's desk, crying. She wasn't sobbing, just crying softly.

Kai came in and motioned for Goku to leave the office. "I'll be guarding the door so you can have your privacy." He went out of the office and closed the door. He sat in front of the door. Nobody was getting in this office without him knowing.

Kai went over and sat in front of Chizuru. "Want to talk about it?" Chizuru shook her head no. "Are you crying because Tenpou kissed you?" Another shake no. "Are you crying because he dumped you off his lap and ran out of the office?" A nod. Ah, now she was getting somewhere. Chizuru's feelings were hurt. But, why? They had only met today. It's not like she harbored a secret love for the Field Marshall.

He was pretty good looking, Kai thought, although not as good looking as Kenren. Kai giggled as she thought back to Kenren's office. Tenpou was flustered, a rare emotion for him. "Want to hear something funny?" Chizuru shook her head no. Too bad, thought Kai, I'm telling you anyway. "Tenpou is in Kenren's office right now. He was yelling at Kenren."

Chizuru looked up at Kai in horror. She was going to lose this job and have to go back to the kitchens. "What was he yelling about? Is he going to fire me?" Chizuru managed to whisper the question through the lump in her throat.

Kai took Chizuru's hands in hers. "You will not lose this job, so you needn't worry about that. Goku tried to tell me what happened but I didn't understand what he was saying. Why don't you tell me what really happened?"

Chizuru wiped her eyes. She felt a little better knowing she would still have a job. She told Kai about teaching Goku the alphabet song and the little boy asking for another song. She started singing the song that her aunt used to sing to her cousins when she was little. She had loved that song and often wished she had someone who loved her enough to sing it to her.

Chizuru told Kai she was dancing around the office, making Goku laugh and she went by Tenpou. She noticed his bangs were in his eyes and before she knew it, she was brushing them off his forehead. He surprised her by rubbing his cheek against her hand. She finished the rest of the tale quickly, not wanting to go into detail about the kiss.

"And then he kissed me, no big deal." Chizuru shrugged her shoulders. She had stopped crying and the two women were still sitting on the floor behind Tenpou's desk.

Kai could tell Chizuru was lying to her. Chizuru wasn't the type of girl to go around kissing men she had only met that morning. There was something about Tenpou that Chizuru must have found attractive.

"Yes, a kiss from a strange man is no big deal." Kai gave a small smile. "And it's not like he's very good looking that he would be a temptation. I mean, you probably don't even remember what color his eyes are."

"They're a light emerald green with silver chips in them. And I can't believe you would say he wasn't good looking! He's very handsome!" Chizuru covered her mouth as she realized what she had blurted out. She gave Kai a sheepish look. Maybe she was attracted to him. But she had only really met him this morning. She had seen him before but never really up close.

He would come and eat in the dining hall once in awhile. He was always polite, but usually a little distracted. The dining hall was always packed when he would come in, so she would only see him in passing. They never spoke to each other. So what made her do what she did today?

Kai laughed and hugged her friend. "You have no idea how much Tenpou needs someone like you in his life." Kai quickly went on when she saw the expression on Chizuru's face. "Kenren is not trying to set you two up, don't even think that. He's just worried that Tenpou takes on too much and he wears himself down." Chizuru's face relaxed. "Tenpou forgets to eat and passes out sometimes. Kenren has told me some of what Tenpou's like in battle."

"He's like a man possessed. His men are loyal to him, but he would rather fight than let them be in harm's way. He has come back injured, several times because of it. But, most important to him, is his self-control." Kai stood up, holding out her hand for Chizuru. She took it and stood up and hugged her friend.

"Thanks, Kai. I feel much better." Chizuru brushed some dust off of her red tunic. "So, what do you think I should do? Should I apologize for kissing him?"

"According to Goku, Tenpou kissed you, not the other way around. I would imagine, when he comes back to his office, he will apologize to you for his behavior. After all, he has to come back, he wasn't wearing his glasses when he came barging into Kenren's apartment."

Chizuru blushed at the memory of her taking off Tenpou's glasses. She had wanted him to open his eyes so she could look at them again. She thought she was a little attracted to the Field Marshall, but she shoved that thought to the back of her mind.

"I guess that the best thing would for me to get back to my organizing. I'll go tell Goku he can come back in." She went to the door and opened it. Goku jumped up and hugged Chizuru.

"You're staying, right? Please don't leave. Ten-chan needs you to help him. I don't want to see him buried under his maps and books again."

She rubbed the top of his head, messing up his already messy hair. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

Kai left to go back to Kenren's apartment, taking Tenpou's glasses with her and Chizuru went back to the books. Goku asked her to sing more songs. They sang the alphabet song a few times. Goku picked it up quickly and soon was singing it all by himself. He was coloring on the floor, humming, when Tenpou came back to his office.

He stood in the doorway, just watching the two of them. Chizuru was really pretty, he thought to himself. She was clearing the shelves, dusting them as she went. She had one whole bookcase cleared and several piles of books on the floor. Tenpou leaned against the frame of the door.

"Goku, will you help me? I'm ready to put all the books on the shelves that begin with A."

Goku looked up from the picture he was drawing. It looked like a cross between a dog and a turtle. Tenpou wished he could read Goku's mind and see what went on in that little head of his. Tenpou smiled. His head was already so filled, he didn't have room for anything more.

"But, Chizuru, I don't know my letters yet." The little boy looked dejected.

Chizuru sat down next to Goku, neither of them noticing the man in the doorway, watching them. "Here, do you have any paper you're not using?" Goku sifted through his papers, looking for a blank one. He found one and handed it to Chizuru. "Now, may I borrow a crayon?" Goku handed her his favorite color, yellow. "Hmm, that won't show up really well on white paper. Do you have another favorite color?" Goku shook his head no. "How about we use green, like the color of Tenpou's eyes?'

Tenpou was taken aback. He had no idea that Chizuru knew what color his eyes were. His mind went back to when she was on his lap. She was starting into his eyes and he guessed she must have noticed they were green. After all, not many people had green eyes here. Most had brown, like Chizuru's. But, her's had little amber chips in them that made them look almost hazel.

Tenpou felt like slapping himself on the forehead. What the hell was he doing thinking about the color of her eyes? His attention went back to the woman and child on the floor. She was showing Goku how to make a letter A.

"Now, A is the first letter of the alphabet. So first, I'm going to teach you a big letter A. Watch my hands while I make the letter." Tenpou's eyes were drawn to her hands. They were tiny and graceful. They were rough from working in the kitchens for so long, but that would soon go away. He watched her draw a letter A. She handed the green crayon to Goku.

"You just do what I did. Draw a line down, draw another line down and connect them in the middle." She watched as Goku drew a wobbly A. She clapped with delight at his effort. "That's it, Goku!" She hugged Goku to her side, Goku's face lighting up with happiness. "Now that you know what an A looks like, you can help me put the books with the letter A on the shelves."

Tenpou decided to make his presence known. He cleared his throat. Chizuru and Goku looked up from the paper on the floor.

"Ten-chan! Chizuru is teaching me the alphabet and I just made my first letter! It's the letter A." Goku got up and walked over to the doorway, bringing the paper with him. He proudly showed his effort to Tenpou and the tall man smiled down at him.

"Very nice, Goku. I'm sorry I've been too busy to teach you the alphabet and your numbers at the same time."

"That's ok. Chizuru is here and she says she will teach me."

Tenpou looked down at Chizuru, who was still sitting on the floor. She looked up and met his eyes, blushing. She hated that about herself. She wished she wouldn't blush so much.

"May I speak with you for a moment?" Chizuru nodded and stood up. Tenpou walked over to a shelf with some scrolls on it. He picked one. "Goku, will you take this to Kenren's office? He asked me to get it for him." Goku ran over and grabbed the scroll. He was out the door before Chizuru could ask him to stay. She wasn't frightened of Tenpou, but she was afraid he was going to fire her.

"I sent him out because I didn't want him to hear our conversation. Please, have a seat." Chizuru moved some books off of a chair and sat. She fiddled with the hem of her tunic. Tenpou was going to fire her, she just knew it. She guessed Kai didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

Tenpou sat down in the large chair behind his desk. He had no idea how to apologize for kissing someone when you were asleep, but he would try. He just didn't want to hurt her feelings again. He had no clue why he cared so much about her feelings, but he did care.

"About what happened earlier, I'm sorry for dumping you on the floor like that." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, messing it up more than it already was. "I was dreaming about an ang.." Well, he didn't need to tell her that he was dreaming that she was angel singing to him. Or how he longed to kiss the angel in his dream. "I should have apologized immediately, but I was shocked at my behavior. Will you accept my apology?"

"Yes, thank you. Chizuru finally looked up at Tenpou. "You're not going to fire me, are you?"

"Is that what you're so worried about?" She nodded. "Don't worry, I need your help around here. Will you stay?"

Chizuru told herself that the relief she felt was for her job security. It wasn't because she would have to leave this handsome man and not see him again. She smiled at Tenpou. "I'll stay." The thought that he didn't say he was sorry for kissing her, flew through her mind. She ignored it.

"Good. I have some work to do. Will it bother you if I am here?" Tenpou shifted papers around on his desk, looking for the ones he was working on before he fell asleep.

"No. I figured you would be in your office most days. Kai told me you were usually here unless you were sent out to battle." She saw Tenpou's nod, his mind already on his papers. She went back to the bookshelves and started putting the A volumes on the them. For the time being, she would just put the volumes that began with A on the shelves, she would worry about alphabetizing them later. She wandered around the office, collecting books as she went.

She was humming. Tenpou tried to ignore it. He could ignore all the noise Kenren and Goku made when they were in his office, but for some reason, he couldn't ignore this woman. Her voice was pleasant and soothing. But, it was keeping him from concentrating on his work. He thought about asking her to stop, but again, he was worried about hurting her feelings.

Goku came back in the office. His face fell when he saw Chizuru putting the books on the shelves. "I thought you were gonna let me help."

"I only started, Goku. I still need your help. Do you remember what the letter A looks like?" Goku ran over to a large pile of books, searching for a volume that began with the letter he had just learned today.

"Like this?" Goku showed her the book.

"Advanced Battle Tactics." Chizuru read for Goku. "Good job, Goku. Now, if you can find more books beginning with A, I'll start putting them on the shelf."

While Goku brought her books, she piled them up on the lower shelves. Taking the books off the top shelves made her arms ache. The books were heavy. She would need a chair to stand on the make the job a little easier. She thought about using the chair she sat in earlier, but Goku was already piling books on it. She looked around.

She found one in a corner with maps on it. She moved the maps to the floor and picked up the chair. She placed it in front of the bookcase she was currently working on. She shook it a bit, making sure it was sturdy. It wiggled a bit but nothing too alarming.

Tenpou was irritated with himself. He just couldn't ignore her. He would be reading along and realize that he had just read that same paragraph, twice. Or he would get to the bottom of the page and realize he had no idea what he even read. He sighed and looked up.

Chizuru was just about to put a second foot on to the most wobbly chair he owned. He wanted to yell and warn her, but when he opened his mouth, nothing came out. She had both feet on the chair and was reaching up to put a book on a shelf, when it happened.

When she shifted her weight forward, Chizuru heard a crack. She froze. "Chizuru! Don't move! That chair is…" Tenpou never got to finish his sentence. He leaped up from his chair and rounded the corner of his desk. There was a loud crack and Chizuru started to fall. She reached for the bookshelves but her fingers couldn't grasp them. She twisted around and saw Tenpou reaching out for her. She didn't give it a second thought and leapt off the chair, hurling herself at him.

His arms went around her and she clung to him. Tenpou tried to stay upright but his feet weren't set when she came flying at him. They both went down, Tenpou landing on his back. She was right on top of him, still clinging to him.

They laid that way for a minute or two, catching their breath. She noticed how broad his shoulders were. He noticed how fine and silky her hair was. She liked the way his hands felt on her body. He liked her scent.

"Are you guys alright?" Goku's words brought them out of their thoughts. Chizuru rolled off Tenpou and sat up. She couldn't look at him. She didn't want him to see her blushing.

"I'm fine, Goku, although I think I'm done for the day. Will you walk me home?" She needed his constant chatter to take her mind off of what just happened. "I'll see you tomorrow, Tenpou." She got up and walked to the door, not looking back. Goku ran after her.

"Good night, Chizuru." Tenpou didn't even look to see if Chizuru acknowledged him. His arm was covering his eyes. He couldn't believe it. She had ended up in his arms twice in one day. He didn't want to tell Kenren. Tenpou wasn't sure if he could hold back from smacking off the smug smile that was sure to be on his face.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Saiyuki or any of the guys. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura. I do own my original characters. Kai is on loan to me from Last-Remnant. Please check out her brilliant story, Saiyuki Extreme.

**Warning!** Sexual situations in this chapter. If a sensual, erotic Tenpou is your distraction, enjoy! If lemony situations aren't your thing, please find another story to enjoy.

Four days had gone by since Chizuru had jumped from the breaking chair and landed in Tenpou's arms, sending the both of them to the ground. It had taken all of Chizuru's courage to go to Tenpou's office the next day to work on organizing his office. Goku had been waiting for her so that had made it a little better. Neither Chizuru or Tenpou had spoken much to each other that first day after the fall, but Goku had kept up almost a constant chatter so there wasn't much of a silence to fill.

Tenpou had given up trying to concentrate when Chizuru was there. He was more aware of her than ever. The sway of her hips as she walked around his office. The gentle lines of her ankles as she climbed on the sturdy chair that he found for her. And her voice as she sang.

She knew more songs than anyone else he knew. Most of the songs were songs that her aunt or uncle had sung to her cousins. Her uncle was in the Eastern Army and although Tenpou knew of the man, he had never met him personally. They had talked a little about her family, but he sensed it wasn't a subject that she was fond of discussing, so he had dropped it.

Talking about her relationship with Kai was another matter entirely. Chizuru talked about how the two women met when they were children and how she wished that they were able to spend more time with each other. Tenpou told her how Kenren had come to be in the Western Army and some of more memorable battles they had fought together. Tenpou and Chizuru's relationship had grown and blossomed into friendship. They would talk for hours. Often, an entire morning would go by before they realized it was lunch time. Tenpou hated to see her leave at the end of the day. There was only one thing they didn't talk about. That kiss. Neither one could forget it, however, and both wondered if the other still thought about it.

They were alone today. Kai had taken Goku out to the nearby forest to look for herbs. Chizuru was currently working on Tenpou's maps. Dozens and dozens of maps were rolled up on the bookshelves and she was trying to work out how to organize them. There were maps of the Southern Seas, the Eastern Ridges of Heaven, the Middle Valleys of Heaven; they went on and on.

"Tenpou?"

Looking up from the scroll on his desk, he met Chizuru's puzzled face. She was holding several of his maps, trying to keep them from spilling from her arms. One slipped and she tried to catch it. Another fell from her slim arms and she dropped more while she tried to pick up the maps that had fallen onto her black slipper covered feet.

"Could you help me with these? I'm trying to get them organized but I don't know how you want them." Setting the rest of the maps on the floor, she put her hands on her hips. "Do you want them in order of directions, like eastern areas in one section, western areas in another section or by geographical areas? Maybe by seas or valleys or mountain ranges, something like that?"

Pushing himself away from the desk, Tenpou went to the bookcases and gathered up the rest of the maps, setting them on his cleared desk. That was one of the best thing about Chizuru working for him. His desk had never been so free of clutter in his whole career as Field Marshall.

"Well, do I have enough room to put the maps on separate shelves?

"If you want them by direction, yes. But, if you want them by geographical content, then no. There's just too many different geographical areas for that." She walked over to the desk and stood next to Tenpou. Her heart gave a little leap as her bare arm brushed his white coat. "Plus, you have maps of Heaven and the lower world. I thought it would be best to separate the maps by direction, putting all of the maps that deal with the east on one shelf, the next shelf would hold maps of the western areas and so on. Then I realized, I didn't include the maps of the lower world. Do you want them mixed in with the maps of Heaven or should I put them on their own shelf?"

She smelled like roses. Freshly cut roses that had bloomed just that morning with the dew still on them. Holding back a groan, Tenpou tried to focus on what Chizuru was saying. In all honesty, at that moment, he didn't care how she organized the maps. He just wanted to stand next to her, drinking in her beauty. If Kenren saw him now, distracted by Chizuru, he would be laughing himself hoarse for the next few hours.

"Tenpou?" Touching his forearm, he could feel the heat from her hand all the way through his coat. God, she was a temptation.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Chizuru. My thoughts were elsewhere just now." Clearing his throat, he sorted through the rolled up maps, digging out several that he knew showed eastern areas of Heaven.

"Your idea of organizing them by direction would be best, I think. We'll start with the areas of Heaven first and then move on to the lower world." He dug around on the desk, pulling out the ones he knew were of eastern areas and set them aside.

Long, graceful fingers. Chizuru couldn't take her eyes off of his hands. She remembered the feel of those hands catching her as she fell. The strength of his hands and his arms as he held her when they had crashed to the floor. How his fingers had played with the strands of her hair that had come loose from her braid, softly brushing his fingers over her shoulders.

Grabbing the first map that she saw, Chizuru unrolled it. She had to focus! She studied the map, trying to get her racing heartbeat under control. Her eyes moved over the map, not really seeing it, but seeing Tenpou's face with the gentle smile he graced her with that morning when she'd arrived for work. This wasn't why she took the job. She'd made up her mind that she wasn't here to fall in love with Tenpou! She was here to organize his office and that was it. Maybe if she kept telling herself that, she would begin to believe it.

'So what if you do fall in love with him?' Kai's voice echoed in her mind. 'Would that be so bad? He's lonely, you're lonely. You want someone to love, he needs someone to love. Someone to fill his empty life. Maybe this is what the gods have in mind for you…for the both of you.' Oh, shut up, Kai! Chizuru yelled at her best friend in her mind.

Watching Chizuru study the map, Tenpou moved from her side to come up behind her. Chizuru had opened the map of the Western Seas and seemed to be engrossed in it. Expressions flew quickly over her face and Tenpou tried to decipher what she could be thinking.

The silence in the room grew thicker and heavier and Chizuru blurted out the first thing to come to her mind.

"How the hell do you read these things?" Turning the map over in her hands, she didn't realize she was trying to read it upside down. Frowning, she turned the map again. Tenpou gave a little laugh, his breath lifting little strands of her hair that had escaped from her braid.

"First of all, you have it sideways. Do you see the red circle with the letters? Turn it so the N is up top of the circle." He watched her dainty hands flip the map so that she finally had it the right way. "Now, as I am sure you have surmised, all the blue is water."

Looking over her shoulder at Tenpou, Chizuru rolled her eyes at him. "I knew that much. And the green parts are land." She gave him a slightly sarcastic smile. "What do the little symbols mean?"

Rosy lips. Soft, rosy lips, parting under his full lips. Lips that would leave soft trails of kisses down his throat, where they would stop at the hollow of his throat, latching on and sucking gently. He could almost hear the breathy moans that would pass from those lips.

Moving his right hand over hers, Tenpou let his left hand drift over the map. "These symbols are for mountains and this little one, shows where ships may dock."

His hand was warm, the pads of his fingertips, rough. Brushing his thumb over hers, a shiver went up her spine as his calloused thumb pad created a delicious friction. Chizuru wasn't sure if Tenpou was even aware of what he was doing. His touch was sending little butterflies of desire fluttering in her belly. Laying his chin on her right shoulder, he pointed out something on the map.

"See this?" His voice was low and rough in her ear. Sensual, really. As he spoke, his breath tickled her cheek and goosebumps popped up on her arms.

"Goku decided that the sea looked lonely and drew a dragon to keep it company. Does the dragon remind you of anyone?" Removing his left hand from the map, Tenpou set it gently on Chizuru's left shoulder. It was a delicious feeling and for one crazy moment, she wished he had wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to his broad chest. His thumb made lazy circles on the back of her neck.

"Oh, yes." The sound was almost a moan. "It's the Dragon King, right?" Dropping her shoulders, her head fell forward onto her chest, giving his thumb better access to her neck. Chizuru let her body fall back into Tenpou's chest. "W…was he mad when he saw it?" Her breath hitched as she asked that question. His lips brushed her overly sensitive earlobe when he answered her.

"Yes." Tenpou sighed out his answer.

The map dropped to the ground, forgotten. Slowly turning Chizuru around, Tenpou searched her face for any sign that what was happening was something unwelcome. Brown eyes met green ones. Gentle hands cupped her face and her eyelids fluttered shut as Chizuru leaned into Tenpou's touch. Dipping his head, he brushed his lips over hers. It was the barest of kisses but the effect it had on Chizuru was beyond anything she could have imagined. Keeping his lips just barely touching hers, Tenpou moved his hands from her face to grasp her hands.

"Do you know what you do to me? I can't concentrate on my work, you distract me so much." Tenpou brought Chizuru's hands up to his mouth. "These hands, these tiny, dainty hands." He kissed the tips of her fingers, one at a time. "I remember the feel of these hands on my face, the way you let them drift over me on that first day. How soft they felt against my skin." Dipping his tongue in Chizuru's palm, Tenpou continued his gentle assault on her hands. "I watch you put my books away, watch the way your fingers grip the spines, the way you run your hands over the shelves. They fascinate me."

Heat pooled in Chizuru's belly, making her body ache to touch Tenpou's body. His eyes were closed as he brushed his lips over the backs of her hands and she wanted him to open them. For the last few days, she could feel his eyes on her and it had sent shivers of desire up and down her spine. Those green eyes, with the silver chips in them. Sometimes, she dreamed of his eyes, looking at her over his glasses, blazing with passion. Knees buckling at his sensual touch, Chizuru backed up until she was against a bookcase, letting the solid wood hold up her boneless body.

Tenpou let his mouth drift across her skin until he came to the pulse point at her wrist. Feeling it race, he latched on to it with his mouth and sucked. The little breathless pants he'd wanted to hear, reached his ears. Opening his eyes and looking at Chizuru over his glasses, he focused on her lush lips. They were slightly parted.

"Open your eyes, Chizuru." With fluttering lashes, she opened her eyes and focused on Tenpou. It was just like in her dreams. Pulling her hand away from his mouth, she grabbed his tie, pulled him down and brought his mouth to hers.

"Do you know what you do to me?" Brushing her lips across his full ones, Chizuru spoke, her lips moving over his. "You're a temptation. I watch your hands with those long, graceful fingers. The way you write, it's like you're caressing the paper with the brush. I watch you stretch after you've been sitting at your desk for hours, the play of your muscles against your shirt does strange things to me." Moving her head lower, she let her mouth drift over the skin of his throat.

Head back, throat exposed, Tenpou drank in the sensations that were coursing through his heated body. The feel of her mouth on his throat, the sound of the moans that were coming from him and the scent of roses from Chizuru's body. Inching her fingers up to the knot on his tie, Chizuru worked the knot free. Once she had the ends of his tie in each of her hands, she roughly pulled Tenpou's mouth to hers.

The kiss was hot and wet. Tenpou slid his tongue in and out of Chizuru's mouth, making love to her mouth and mimicking the action with his hips, grinding his erection against her belly. He captured her moans with his mouth. He was quickly losing control but for once, he didn't care. There was just something about Chizuru that had peaked his interest from the start.

Fumbling with the buttons on Tenpou's shirt, Chizuru finally got his shirt open. Her hands roamed his chest, feeling some marks on his shoulder. She rubbed her thumb over his nipples, making them hard. He shivered and pressed himself closer to her.

"Where did you get those marks on your shoulder?" Chizuru let her head fall back against the bookcase.

"A youkai gave them to me." Nipping at her neck, Tenpou let his hands drift to her hips and then to her bottom, his hands grazing the backs of her thighs and lifting her legs, wrapping them around his lean waist. His erection was at her core and Chizuru gasped at the feel of it. A small part of her brain was telling her to stop him, push him away and run. Her heart, however, was telling her something entirely different.

Sleep was difficult last night. All she could think about was Tenpou and how she felt about him. She liked him, a lot, maybe more than a lot. There were a lot of things to like about him. The first thing that came to mind was how he treated Goku. He didn't treat him as if he was an abomination like most of the other people in Heaven did. Tenpou was kind and patient with the little boy when he would try and teach Goku math.

As she shifted to a more comfortable position in bed, she thought back to a few days ago when Tenpou tried to teach Goku basic math with peanuts as a learning tool. Tenpou lined up ten peanuts and separated two from the bunch.

"Alright, Goku. There are 10 soldiers going down to the lower world to battle youkai. Two of them are killed during battle. How many are left?"

Goku scrunched up his little face, his golden eyes peering intently at the two peanuts separated from the rest.

"How did they get killed?"

Tenpou waved his hands in the air. "That's not important. I'm asking how many are left."

Scratching his head, mussing up his hair even more than usual, Goku picked up the two peanuts. "Since they're dead, can I eat them?"

Tenpou sighed. "I suppose."

Chizuru was really trying not to giggle at the way Tenpou was trying to get Goku to understand the math problem. She had left the two of them in Tenpou's office and she was working on straightening Tenpou's bedroom. How he found anything in this mess, was beyond her. She finished changing the bed, putting fresh crisp sheets on the bed and a clean blanket. She bundled up the sheets and put them in a basket that she'd already put the dirty blanket in. White coats were thrown over the back of a overstuffed chair next to the closet.

Picking one up, she checked the pockets for lighters, pens, paper clips or anything else he might have shoved into the huge pockets. Before she'd started working for Tenpou, she'd hated the smell of cigarette smoke but some where between that first day and now, she'd grown to like the smell. Ink was another smell that reminded her of Tenpou. She loved to watch him write on scrolls. The way he held the brush between his long fingers and the way he made the characters, it was like he was caressing the paper. A delicious shiver had gone up her spine, wondering what it would be like to have those hands caressing her nude body.

With the pockets of his coats finally empty, Chizuru tossed both of the coats into the laundry basket and picked up one of his shirts. It was only the day before that Chizuru said she would be glad to do his laundry and when he smiled at her and thanked her, a little sigh had escaped her lips. She blushed and hoped he didn't hear her.

"None! There's no soldiers left."

"And how did you come to that answer?" Tenpou's voice held a note of exasperation.

"Cause I'm gonna eat them before the youkai do!"

Chizuru couldn't hold back the laughter anymore. Tenpou came into his bedroom to find her sitting in his chair, holding one of his shirts, tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks. Arching his eyebrow, Tenpou came over to where she was. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

"You think that's funny?" A gleam came into his emerald eyes. "Who would protect you if you turned into a peanut and Goku decided to eat you?" Still holding Chizuru's hand, Tenpou let his thumb drift back and forth over her knuckles.

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed from one of laughter to one of seduction. Chizuru's breath caught in her throat as she gazed into those eyes, those eyes that she dreamed about at night.

"You would", she'd whispered.

Gently brushing the remainder of her tears of laughter away, Tenpou slowly dragged his thumb over Chizuru's cheek.

"With my life."

It was at that moment that Chizuru knew she was falling in love with this man.

Konzen put down his pen, stretching his cramped fingers and rolling his head from side to side. It was lunchtime and if he didn't feed the monkey his lunch soon, Konzen would never hear the end of it. Goku had said something about looking for Tenpou and Kai and a person named Chizuru but he hadn't really been listening. Konzen figured the best place to start looking for Goku was Tenpou's office.

Chizuru's hands ended up under Tenpou's shirt and as soon as he'd lifted up her legs, she snaked her arms around him, her fingers splayed across his broad back. She loved the play of his muscles under her fingers. His lips were latched onto where her neck met her shoulder and he suddenly bit down gently. Clenching her hands, she dug her fingernails into his back, scratching him, not enough to draw blood but enough to make Tenpou bite and suck hard enough on her neck that she would have a mark tomorrow.

"I want to make you mine. I want to make love to you properly, in my bed. Not against a bookcase or on the floor of my office." Tenpou breathed hard against Chizuru's neck, trying to get his body under control. He wanted to tell her how he felt, that this wasn't just lust or him trying to get a quick tumble from her.

When he teasingly asked her who would protect her from Goku if she had turned into a peanut and she'd responded, 'You would', his feelings for her hit him in the chest like a fist. He would give his life to protect her. He had spent the remainder of that day mulling over his feelings for her. Every question of why he had such intense feelings for Chizuru came back with the same answer. He was falling in love with her.

"Chizuru, I lo…"

"Oi! Goku! Lunchtime."

The door to his office opened up and there in the doorway, was Konzen. Instead of his normal scowl on his perfect face, Konzen's purple eyes were wide open, taking in the sight of the couple against the bookcase. Leaning against the door frame, he smirked at them. Now, this was interesting. So, Kenren was right. Tenpou had fallen for this Chizuru. Shit. Now, he would have to pay up on the bet the two men had made. Konzen was sure that Tenpou was too immersed in his duties as Field Marshall to even notice the woman that Kenren had hired.

"If this is how you thank people who help you organize your office, I'm glad that I'm not helping anymore." Konzen's deep voice was like ice water on the couple. "If you see Goku, tell him I'm ready to get him some lunch."

The door closed. Tenpou and Chizuru were silent for a few minutes. With their foreheads on each other's shoulders, the couple disentangled themselves from each other. Tenpou felt Chizuru's body begin to shake and his heart sank. She was crying. That could be the only reason for the sounds she was making.

"Did you see his face?" She was shaking harder and Tenpou put his arms around her shoulders, hugging her close to him, trying to comfort her. Putting her hands on his bare chest, Chizuru pushed Tenpou away so she could look at him.

She wasn't crying. Far from it, in fact. Her face was lit up with laughter and her body was shaking with the effort of trying to hold it back. Shocked for just a moment, Tenpou relaxed and joined her.

"In all the time I've known Konzen, I don't think I've ever seen that expression on his face." They laughed all the harder at Tenpou's comment.

Finally, they stopped laughing and Tenpou held Chizuru against him. She felt so right in his arms, like a piece of a puzzle that he had been searching for all his life and finally found.

"I meant what I said the other day." Tenpou looked into her brown eyes, lovingly. "I would protect you with my life." Pausing, he wondered if this was the right time to tell her that he loved her.

"I love you." Chizuru's declaration of love was muffled against his chest. When Tenpou didn't say anything, Chizuru grew nervous. Maybe the only reason he'd said he would protect her with his life was because she was friends with Kai and Kai was with Kenren. Maybe the only reason Tenpou would protect her was out of duty and not because he loved her too.

"Thank you." He kissed her softly. "You have given me the greatest gift I could ever ask for. Someone who loves me, faults and all." Cupping her face in his graceful hands, Tenpou looked deep into Chizuru's eyes.

"I love you, too."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Saiyuki or any of the guys. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura. I do own my original characters. Kai is the original character from Last-Remnant. She has graciously loaned to her to me. Please check out her brilliant story, Saiyuki Extreme on deviantart (dot) com or under her name GojyoLoverForever on fanfiction (dot) net.

Chizuru woke with a smile on her face. Stretching, she thought back to yesterday with Tenpou. They had been in a passionate embrace up against the bookcase, when an unwelcome visitor interrupted them. After Konzen left, Chizuru admitted to Tenpou that she loved him. Kissing her gently, he told her he loved her too. After straightening their rumpled clothes, she and Tenpou had gone to get some dinner at the dining hall where she used to work. Sitting at a table by themselves, they were in a world of their own. People stared and talked behind their hands about the couple but neither one noticed. He walked her back to her tiny room and kissed her goodnight.

"Why don't you spend the day with Kai tomorrow? I've got to go to the lower world on a reconnaissance mission with Kenren. There's a youkai causing trouble and the higher ups want me to go." Tenpou was leaning with his back against the wall next to her door, Chizuru in his arms.

"I could still get some work done in your office. Just because you're not there, doesn't mean I have to stop working." Her fingers made little circles on his chest.

"You haven't had a day off since you started and I'm sure Kai would love to spend the day with you." Tenpou kissed her forehead. "Besides, Kenren doesn't want Kai left alone too much."

"Why? Is he worried another man might steal her away from him?"

"No, it's Li-Touten he worries about." Tenpou sighed. "Kenren is worried that he might use Kai to get to him and I must say, I agree with him. Li-Touten has hated Kenren ever since he came to the Western Army. He's ruthless, barbaric and power hungry. He would do anything and use anyone he can to gain the power he wants."

"Kai has told me before that she's afraid of him but since she's nothing but a servant, there's nothing she can do. Tell Kenren not to worry. I won't leave Kai's side tomorrow."

"And you stay away from him, also. Li-Touten hates me more than he hates Kenren. Once, he said something vulgar about Kenren and myself and Li-Touten carried the mark of my fist for several days. If he finds out about us…" Tenpou let the frightening thought hang in the air.

"I promise."

They kissed softly for several minutes before parting for the night.

After showering in the communal woman's bathroom, Chizuru dressed and braided her long blonde hair. Giving herself one last look in her tiny mirror, her eyes went wide as she saw the mark on her neck. Tenpou had bit her neck yesterday but when she went to bed last night, she didn't see anything on her neck. She put on a short sleeved tunic shirt that used to be a bright pink but now had faded to a dusky rose color. With the high collar, it almost hid Tenpou's mark. Chizuru sighed. It was the best she could do and if anyone saw, well, she was sure she could come up with some explanation. Putting on her black shoes, she was ready to go and find Kai.

Since it was still too early to meet Kai in her rooms for lunch, Chizuru decided to go and pick some wildflowers for her best friend. Kai's rooms were sparsely furnished and most of her furniture was old and scarred. She had a little table, though, and some pretty flowers would brighten up the place. Exiting the servant's quarters, Chizuru made her way to the large field where she knew thousands and thousands of bright, pretty flowers grew.

Rounding the palace, Chizuru came to a grove of sakura trees. In Heaven, the trees were always in bloom, their soft pink petals lazily falling to the ground. As she made her way through the trees, the sounds of men's voices reached her ears. Her heart quickened as she realized that this must be were the reconnaissance team was meeting. Maybe she would get to see Tenpou before he left for the lower world.

"I don't see why so many of us have to go. It's just one youkai that's the problem."

"You know Field Marshall Tenpou. He always takes a bunch of us along on these missions. Safety in numbers and all that shit."

"Oi! Back in ranks!"

Chizuru recognized that voice. It was General Kenren. He was wearing his leather uniform, with the top open, revealing the skull clasp that he always wore. Chizuru's breath caught in her throat as she finally saw Tenpou, dressed in his Field Marshall uniform.

As he walked, Tenpou pulled on his black leather fingerless gloves. A long sword hung from his side and his long black leather coat brushed against his highly polished boots as he walked. Cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, Tenpou looked over a map one final time before rolling it up and stashing it away. If she had thought he was handsome in a shirt and tie, Chizuru wasn't prepared for the gorgeous sight of Tenpou in his uniform. She moved out from the trees to get a better look at him.

"Well, well. What do we have here?"

Chizuru spun around at the unfamiliar voice. It was one of the soldiers and he had silently come up behind her. She backed away from him, coming to a painful stop against the rough bark of a sakura tree. The soldier advanced on Chizuru, stopping with his body against hers, pinning her up against the tree.

"What are you doing out here, little one? Coming to catch a glimpse of the handsome soldiers?"

The soldier was a little older than her with long, stringy brown hair and a pockmarked face. He wasn't much taller than her and with his hands against the tree, blocking her escape, he brought his mouth near hers. Chizuru turned her head away from his foul breath, but he followed her movements. She cracked the back of her head on the tree, trying to put more distance between her and the soldier.

"Get away from me! I'm warning you!" Chizuru brought her hands up and put them on the soldier's chest, shoving with all her might. He stumbled back a few steps and tripped over tree roots, falling smack on his butt. Chizuru bolted from the tree and ran. She only made it a few steps before the soldier had caught up with her, grabbing her long braid and wrapping it around his wrist, tugging her to him, harshly.

"You little bitch!" He was breathing heavily, holding Chizuru against his large body. His mouth came crashing down on hers, his thick tongue gagging her as he kissed her. Scratching and kicking at the soldier, Chizuru fought him. He screamed as she bit down on his tongue, drawing blood.

"Fuck!" Wiping the blood from his lips, the soldier spat a good amount of blood on the ground. He pulled his arm back, ready to strike Chizuru. Taking advantage of being free, she turned and ran into a hard chest. It was Tenpou. She looked up into his face as he put one arm around her shoulders.

The look on his face sent a shiver of fear up her spine. She had never seen him look so angry, like he was ready to kill the soldier. Never taking his eyes off of the soldier, he spoke to Chizuru.

"Are you hurt?"

"No. I'm fine. He's not, though. I bit his tongue."

"Good for you." Tenpou yelled for his General. "Kenren?"

"Yeah? Where the hell are you, Tenpou?" Kenren ran through the grove of sakura trees, finally finding them. "What the…? Chizuru?" He took in the sight of Chizuru, her braid coming undone and lips swollen and bruised. The soldier was in worse shape, his mouth bleeding as he spat more blood on the ground from his bitten tongue. "What the fuck is going on here, soldier?"

"Nothing, sir. My…girlfriend and I were just having a little argument." The ugly little man made eye contact with Chizuru, his eyes cold and hard. "Isn't that right, sweetheart?" He glared at Chizuru, daring her to contradict him.

Kenren's bark of laughter made the soldier break eye contact with Chizuru.

"Girlfriend? Oh, man." Kenren shook his head. "I pity you, soldier. You've just fucked with the wrong man."

"General Kenren, please take Chizuru away from here while I deal with this." Tenpou's voice was calm, belying the anger that was raging through his body. This man had dared to touch what was precious to him and he would pay.

Kenren took Chizuru gently by the arm, moving her away from the soldier and Tenpou. Chizuru started to walk away with Kenren. The sound of Tenpou drawing his sword was loud in the stillness of the sakura grove. Breaking away from Kenren's light hold on her arm, Chizuru ran back to Tenpou. Chizuru grabbed the back of Tenpou's leather coat.

"Don't, Tenpou."

Shoulders sagging, Tenpou let the tip of his sword touch the ground. She was right. It wouldn't be right to kill this man, although Tenpou never had liked the man and he had hurt Chizuru. Sheathing his sword again, Tenpou nodded to Kenren. Kenren grabbed the soldier by the arm and dragged him away.

"What are you going to do with him?" Tenpou could hear the fear in Chizuru's voice.

"He'll spend a few days in the dungeon, thinking over his actions."

Turning around, Tenpou put his hands on Chizuru's shoulders and looked her up and down. That bastard didn't do any injuries to her that he could see, other than kissing her. Tenpou smiled and Chizuru looked at him, puzzled by that reaction.

"So, you really did bite him, didn't you?"

"I know it wasn't very ladylike, but…"

After ordering two other soldiers to take the offending man to the dungeons, Kenren came back to check on Chizuru and Tenpou. He grinned at Chizuru's comment.

"The hell with ladylike! You should have kicked him in the balls, too." Kenren took a drag off his cigarette as he made that comment. "Stupid fucker, trying to take advantage of you like that."

"Kenren, stop. Can't you see that you're only making Chizuru more upset with talk like that?" Tenpou pulled Chizuru so tightly against him, she was struggling to breathe. Deciding to let Tenpou comfort her, Chizuru wound her arms around Tenpou's neck and laid her head on his shoulder.

She wasn't really all that frightened. A woman, on her own, like Chizuru, needed to learn how to handle unwanted advances from men. One of her first friends taught her the little trick of biting down on the man's tongue and another taught her just where to kick so it caused the most damage. Right in their crotch. Or as Kenren so nicely put it, their balls.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you. I almost control of myself. But when I saw him pin you up against that tree, all logical reason flew from my mind." Tenpou took a deep, shuddering breath and let it out against her neck. "I love you." He kissed her neck. "I love you." Full lips against her temple. "I love you." Mouths brushing against each other. "I love you." Tenpou tenderly kissed her bruised lips, making sure he didn't put too much pressure into the kiss.

"Alright, you fuckers! Quit looking and get the hell back in ranks! Nothing to see here, you bastards!" Kenren shot a few rounds into the air with his pistol, making the disorganized soldiers jump to do his bidding. "Ya got five minutes, Tenpou and then we gotta go." Kenren winked at Chizuru. "Kai's in my study, mixing medicines. Have her look at those lips. We'll be back in a few hours and I'm sure Tenpou wants them healed by then."

Tenpou took Chizuru's hand and started leading her back to the palace. His long legs quickly ate up the ground and Chizuru was struggling, trying to keep up.

"Tenpou! Don't go so fast! My legs aren't as long as yours." Pulling on his hand, she stopped him. "And what are you doing anyway? Kenren said you have five minutes and then you have to go. Where are you taking me?"

"I'm taking you to Kai."

"You don't have to go with me. You're needed in the lower world. Besides, I have an idea where Kenren's suite of rooms are, so I should be able to find them by myself. Be careful and I'll see you when you get back."

Chizuru started to walk away, leaving a stunned Tenpou behind her. She hated leaving him this way but he was ordered to lead a platoon of men to the lower world and she didn't want him to get in trouble because of her. She only got about ten steps before she felt strong arms scoop her up, one arm under her knees, the other behind her shoulders and hug her to a broad, muscled chest.

"Tenpou! Put me down! You're going to be in so much trouble if you're not back there in time!" Chizuru half-hearted struggled in Tenpou's arms, poking and pinching at him. He just ignored her. Making a tiny fist, she punched him in the shoulder.

"Remind me some time to teach you how to make a proper fist. You'll break your thumb with the way you're doing it now." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Kenren warned me you were a saucy wench."

Outraged, Chizuru gasped. Oh, when she saw Kenren again, she was going to yell at him until her tongue fell out! Calling her a saucy wench! Who the hell did he think he was? Chizuru crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to hold onto Tenpou and mumbling under her breath at him. Grinning, Tenpou pretended to drop her and Chizuru let out a little squeal, throwing her arms around his neck and holding on for dear life.

"You're mean."

"Yes, but you love me anyway."

Chizuru nuzzled her nose along Tenpou's neck, the light stubble on his chin tickling her nose. She did love him, there was no doubt about that.

Tenpou carried her all the way to Kenren's suite of rooms, nodding hello to several people as they passed them. Chizuru blushed at their reactions to her and Tenpou. A few people said hello back but most of them just stared at the couple, their mouths open in shock. Finally, much to Chizuru's relief, they reached Kenren's suite of rooms. Kicking the bottom of the door with his foot, Tenpou waited for Kai to open the door.

"You could put me down, you know."

"I know but I don't want to." His voice was soft and sensual in her ear, sending delicious shivers over her skin.

Opening the door slightly, Kai peered out of the small crack. There, in the hallway, stood Tenpou with Chizuru still in his arms. Chizuru was blushing enough to start a fire and Kai had never seen Tenpou so happy. Opening the door wider, she let the couple in.

"Chizuru, are you hurt?" Concern rang from Kai's voice.

"I'm fine. He", Chizuru poked Tenpou in the shoulder, "won't let me walk."

"She was attacked earlier."

Kai started running her hands over Chizuru's legs, feeling for injuries. Finding nothing on her legs, Kai moved her hands to grasp Chizuru's hands. Turning them over and over, Kai searched for injuries. She pulled her hands from Kai's grip.

"It wasn't like that, Kai. Some jerk tried to kiss me and when I ran away, he grabbed my braid and pulled. Then he kissed me really hard, bruising my lips. I just need some sort of poultice to take down the swelling." Chizuru sighed. "Tenpou! Are you ever going to let me go?"

"Never." He kissed Chizuru's forehead, letting his lips linger over her skin.

"I'll mix a poultice for that bruising, while you two say your good-byes." Leaving the couple in the main room, Kai went into Kenren's study, where she kept most of her herbs and other medicines.

"Tenpou, you really need to let me go. You're going to be in so much trouble if you aren't back in time."

"Sweetheart, I'm a Field Marshall. I only answer to the Dragon King. Believe me, I won't get into any trouble if I'm a few minutes late."

Bringing her hand up to his face, Chizuru brushed his hair back from the side of his face, putting it back behind his ear. She let her hand linger on his cheek.

"Be safe."

"I will." Tenpou set Chizuru on her feet and kissed her.

The kiss started out soft. Her mouth was still bruised and Tenpou didn't want to cause her any more pain but when he felt her tongue brush against his, he couldn't stop himself. Deepening the kiss, he pressed his lips fully against hers, moving them slowly over hers. Chizuru's hands came up to clutch at the front of his black leather coat, bringing him closer to her.

"Just stay here with Kai until I come back." Tenpou put a finger to Chizuru's lips as she started to speak. "I know it sounds like I'm being over protective, but humor me."

Tenpou kissed her one last time before leaving Kenren's apartments. Chizuru closed the door behind him and leaned back against the door, sighing happily. Kai came back into the room, a smile on her face.

"I could have sworn that you told me there was no way you would ever fall in love with Tenpou. Or maybe it was one of my other friends."

"Oh, hush! Where's my poultice? I've only got a few hours to heal before Tenpou returns."

The two women sat down to tea and sandwiches. It was the first time in almost a week that they'd had a chance to relax and catch up with each other. Chizuru told Kai about falling off of the broken chair; how she'd gone flying into Tenpou's arms, knocking him and her to the floor. They talked a little bit about Goku and what each of them were teaching the little boy.

"So, where did you take Goku yesterday? Usually, he's in Tenpou's office before I even get there." Chizuru took a sip of Kai's special tea.

"First, we went to my small garden but the herbs I plant there, weren't ready to pick yet, so I took him to the edge of the forest on the South Slope. I gave him a licorice leaf to eat. You should have seen the look on his face when I told him to chew it!" Kai laughed at the memory.

"Did he eat it?"

"He licked it first and then shoved the whole thing in his mouth. He told me it was 'yummy'. Then, he ran off looking for more but he grabbed oak leaves instead. He shoved a pile of them in his mouth before I could tell him they weren't anything he should eat. He spit them out so fast! I told him the only things that found oak leaves tasty, were caterpillars."

"Tenpou told me that one day he and Konzen were out walking with Goku when Konzen grabbed Goku's hand and forced it open. Here, Goku had a little caterpillar in his hand and he was just about to eat it!"

"Goku told me about that yesterday. His little face was so sad, thinking back about that little caterpillar. He whispered in my ear that he still wants to try one someday. He said that something that looks that cute, must taste good!"

Chizuru told Kai that she was teaching Goku the alphabet and how quickly the little boy was learning. He had already learned the letters up to M and was a big help putting books away and things like that. She told Kai about the math lesson with the peanuts and how Goku was more concerned with eating the peanuts and how the soldiers died, than he was with solving the problem itself.

"Then what happened?" Kai took a bite of her sandwich.

"Tenpou heard me laughing and came into his bedroom to see what I found so funny."

"Oh, you were in his bedroom, were you?" A teasing gleam came into Kai's eyes.

"It wasn't like that!" Chizuru flapped her palm at Kai. "Look what happens when you spend too much time around Kenren! You're just as perverted as he is." Chizuru chuckled at her friend. "I was gathering up his clothes that needed washed and when I heard Goku tell Tenpou that there would be no soldiers left because he would eat them all. I started laughing so hard, tears were rolling down my cheeks. Tenpou came in, saw me laughing and asked who would protect me if I turned into a peanut and Goku decided to eat me. I told him, he would." Chizuru blushed as she remembered what happened next.

"Come on, tell me. What did he say?"

"He said, 'With my life'."

Kai smiled at Chizuru, happy for her best friend. The men they had fallen in love with seemed totally wrong for them at first glance. Kenren's gruff and outspoken personality hid his true nature. He was a man who craved love but who had never found anyone who he could trust enough to let down the barriers that he had built up around him. Tenpou hid behind smiles and his battle plans. Telling himself for so many years that he need no one but himself, had turned him into a lonely man. His walls were physical. He hid behind his books and maps and scrolls that were piled around his desk, blocking out the world.

With the entry of Kai into Kenren's life, his whole world had changed. Sure, he was still a little on the perverted side, making ribald comments now and then. And he still loved to pick on Goku, causing Konzen to yell at the both of them like they were little children. But, there was a softness to him now, an openness that hadn't been there before. And it was all due to Kai's love.

Chizuru looked at the little clock on Kenren's desk. It had been several hours since Tenpou and Kenren had left to go to the lower world. Chizuru didn't know how long Tenpou was usually gone on a mission like this, but it seemed to her, that he should be back by now. The way he talked about the mission to her made it seem like he shouldn't be gone for more than a couple of hours. Almost five hours had passed since he had left her in the care of Kai. Since Kai was calm, Chizuru decided that this must be how long the men were usually gone.

They had cleaned up the tea and sandwiches hours ago and were sitting in front of the big fireplace in Kenren's office, feet tucked under them, chatting. Kai was half listening to Chizuru. She looked at the clock for what seemed the tenth time in as many minutes. Kenren and Tenpou should have been back by now. Kai twisted the ends of her hair around her fingers, a nervous habit left over from childhood. Chizuru stopped talking and watched her best friend.

"Kai, that's the fifth time you've looked at that clock while I've been talking. What's wrong?" Chizuru got up and went to the large window behind Kenren's desk. She opened the window and looked outside. There was no sign of the men or any of the soldiers.

"They should have been back by now, shouldn't have they, Kai? Oh Merciful Goddess, something went wrong, didn't it?"

"Calm down, Chizuru. Just because they are taking a long time doesn't mean there's anything wrong. Maybe they couldn't find the youkai right away or they found it and it was hiding in it's lair and they had to flush it out. Maybe they stopped to have some beer…" Kai trailed off. That last part didn't sound plausible, even to her.

The door burst open and Kenren came flying in. He was bloody and bruised, his uniform torn in several places. Grasping his knees, he put his head down, trying to catch his breath.

"Kai…get your…kit…"

Kai turned and ran into Kenren's study, not stopping to ask any questions. Any information she needed, Kenren would tell her on the way to where ever they were going. Chizuru watched with growing panic. Her hands twisted together as she fought for control, fought to keep the tears at bay. Pushing past Kenren, Chizuru went out into the hall.

"Tenpou?" Her voice echoed down the long, empty hall. No answer. An icy hand of fear gripped her stomach, making it contract in pain. Where was he? Merciful Goddess, she just found him after all these years of loneliness, she couldn't lose him now. Hands shaking, she cupped them around her mouth, screaming Tenpou's name.

Large hands gripped her shoulders, biting into the soft flesh. Those same hands spun her around. Kenren shook Chizuru a little, trying to get her attention. She looked up into those dark chocolate colored eyes, fresh panic setting in.

"He's in his bedroom."

Not waiting for Kenren to finish, Chizuru broke free of Kenren's grip and ran to Tenpou's bedroom. She threw open the door to his office and raced to the door to his bedroom. Fumbling with the doorknob in her panic, it took her a few seconds to open the door.

Tenpou laid on his bed, eyes closed, his leather uniform torn and bloody. Tears blurred Chizuru's eyes and she wiped them away. Several bloody cuts were on his cheeks and his neck. An ugly bruise was starting to form on his left cheek. Placing her hand on his neck, she felt a strong, steady pulse. Dropping to her knees by his bed, Chizuru wept and thanked the Merciful Goddess for saving him.

"Chizuru?" Tenpou tried to pick his head up from the pillow.

"I…I was so…w…worried." Chizuru wept while she talked. "Kenren came running into his office, told Kai to get her kit and you…weren't…there…" She sobbed out the last few words.

"Kenren tends to panic a bit." Tenpou smiled as he made that comment. He shifted in bed, wincing as Chizuru laid her head on his shoulder.

"Sweetheart, could you help me get this coat off? Kai needs to look at my shoulder."

Opening the buttons on the coat, Chizuru paled as the make-shift bandages were revealed. The bandages were soaked with blood. As careful as possible, she got Tenpou's arms out of the coat. She tossed the torn coat on the floor. Helping Tenpou off the bed, she pulled the covers down and helped him sit down on the edge of the bed. She took off his boots and set them aside, next to his coat.

"This might seem forward of me, but could you help me off with my pants? He gave her a lopsided grin. "You will behave yourself, won't you?"

A little giggle escaped Chizuru's lips. Now, that she knew he was alive and relatively unharmed, her panic disappeared. She leaned down and kissed him.

"I'll try but I'm not promising anything."

After removing his pants, Chizuru helped him back into bed. She took off his socks and covered him up to his waist with the sheets and blanket. At that moment, Kai and Kenren burst into the bedroom.

Kai set her medical kit on the floor next to her and got to work. Cutting off the bloody bandages, she gave them to Chizuru to throw away. Once all the bandages were off, Kai got a good look at the would. Three deep gashes from the claws of a youkai were on Tenpou's left shoulder. Kai had Chizuru get some hot water and soap and cleaned the gashes. The wound needed stitches. Kenren paled when Kai threaded the needle and left the room. Tenpou was quiet the entire time Kai stitched his shoulder, only wincing once in a while. When she finished, she spread on a foul smelling salve.

"Chizuru, help me, please? I need him upright so I can bandage him properly."

With deft hands, Kai soon had the wound bandaged tightly. Chizuru laid Tenpou back down and covered him up to his chest, leaving his left shoulder out.

"Keep the bandages on for the next day. Don't let them get wet. Then, the day after tomorrow, remove the bandages and put some fresh salve on. I'll leave it here, in Tenpou's bathroom for you. Rebandage the shoulder and leave it alone for two days. Then, I'll check him and make sure everything is alright."

Kai pointed a finger at Tenpou.

"And you, you stay in bed. Don't rip out those stitches. That was some of my best handy work and I don't want to see them ruined." Kai smiled at Tenpou, softening the command.

"Why aren't you going to change Tenpou's bandages?" Kenren had finally come back into the bedroom, the color back in his face.

"Do you really want me looking at your best friend's bare chest?" Kai arched a brow at Kenren.

"Well, when you put it that way…no."

Kai repacked her kit, leaving fresh bandages and the jar of salve. Chizuru walked the couple to the office door and hugged Kai, thanking her for all of her help. After they left, Chizuru went back into the bedroom.

"Tenpou, do you need anything before I leave?"

He opened his eyes and held out his hand to her. She grabbed it, bringing up to her cheek. Tears threatened to fall again but she held them back.

"Stay with me."

Not needing to be asked twice, Chizuru removed Tenpou's glasses and set them on the little table next to his bed. She took off her shoes and crawled under the covers next to his uninjured shoulder and snuggled up next to Tenpou. He kissed her forehead and told her he loved her. Lifting herself up on her elbow, she pulled the covers down, until they were just above his stomach. She placed an open mouthed kiss over his heart, telling him she loved him. Laying back down, she left her hand over his heart, letting the feel and sound of his steady heartbeat lull her to sleep. Tenpou soon followed her into a dreamless sleep.

Deep in the dungeon, a soldier sat on the cold stone floor, his hands chained above his head. His thoughts were ugly and mean. He wanted revenge on that bastard Field Marshall Tenpou Gensui. All this, just because he tried to kiss that bitch! Who the hell was she to him?

Above the sound of dripping water, heavy footsteps reached his ears. Rats scurried out of the way of whomever was approaching his cell. In the flickering firelight of the wall sconce, the soldier could see a large body of a man, his dark hair pushed back from his forehead. The soldier's eyes widened as he realized who his late night visitor was.

"Well, well, well." The voice was deep and smooth. "I heard you had a run in with Field Marshall Tenpou over a woman. Strange. I always thought he had a thing for General Kenren." The figure moved closer to the cell, his large hands circling the bars. "What's your name, soldier?"

"Souji, sir." Souji swallowed nervously. This man terrified him and he shuddered as he wondered what he wanted with him.

"Well, Souji. How would you like to get out of this place?" Souji could see the man's teeth in the firelight, his lips pulled back in a cruel smile. Souji nodded. "Do you remember the name of the woman?"

"Her name is Chizuru."

The man took out a ring of keys and unlocked the door, the metal making a hollow clinking sound in the empty dungeon. He stepped into the cell and unlocked the shackles and Souji hissed as the blood flowed back into his arms.

"Let's go to my quarters. We can discuss our arrangement in, shall we say, more pleasant surroundings?"

Li-Touten smiled a chilling smile as he led Souji up the stairs and through the secret passageways to his rooms.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Saiyuki or any of the guys. That honor belongs to Kazuya Minekura. The original characters are my own creations. Kai belongs to GojyoLoverForever and her and Kenren's story can be found in her story, "Saiyuki Extreme."

**Warning!!!!** There's a big, fat, juicy lemon in this chapter! If sexy Tenpou is your thing, stay and enjoy the story. If sexual situations make you flinch, please find another story to read.

Balancing a few trays laden with food and plates on an arm, Chizuru let herself in Tenpou's office. She had woken up about an hour ago, starving. Tenpou was still asleep but he had been restless most of the night. Chizuru didn't know if he was in a lot of pain or if it was dreams that interrupted his sleep and finally, she couldn't take it anymore. Once he woke up, Tenpou would probably want breakfast and even if he didn't want it, he was going to eat something! After the youkai attack yesterday, he'd lost a lot of blood and he needed to gain his strength back.

Closing and kicking the office door shut with her foot, Chizuru went to his desk and put down the plates of steaming food. A toe caught her eye. Tenpou's foot was sticking out of the blankets and his big toe was twitching. Even his toes were sexy. They were long, like his fingers and for the life of her, Chizuru couldn't figure out why his toes fascinated her so much.

The blanket was pushed down, almost to the top of his boxers. Lightly letting her fingers trace his skin, Chizuru ran her fingers over his old scars on his right shoulder. A funny thought crossed her mind. Tenpou would have matching scars on his shoulders. Her fingers made their way up to his jaw, feeling the thickening beard. When he left for the lower world yesterday, she had rubbed her chin against his, liking the feel of Tenpou slightly unshaven. This morning his beard was even thicker. Letting her fingers drift over his lips, Chizuru smiled as she thought about what she was doing and how it was just like the first time she'd touched Tenpou.

One eye slightly opened. A fuzzy image of Chizuru, her hand on his face stroking the growth of black whiskers, was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. It reminded him of the first time he'd kissed her but he wouldn't make the same mistake again, kissing her and then dumping Chizuru off of his lap.

"Tenpou? Are you awake?" Sitting down on the bed, she leaned closer. "I brought breakfast." Chizuru went to get off the bed, but one arm snaked around her waist, preventing her from moving. Quick as lightning, Tenpou had her flipped over his body and she was on the bed, on her back and Tenpou was nuzzling her neck.

"I'm not hungry for breakfast." A flick of his hot tongue on her earlobe. "I'm hungry for you." Sucking the lobe in his mouth, Chizuru moaned in response. Just a small gesture and she was putty in his hands. A hand on the buttons at the collar of her shirt. Two quick flicks of those long, sensual fingers and her neck was exposed. Nips and licks down to her collarbone. A tongue at the hollow of her throat. The feel of his erection at her hip, pressing up against her heating body.

"Ten…Tenpou, you need to eat." How she managed to think, Chizuru didn't know. A knee at her core and she was pressing against it. Her arms surrounded his neck, pulling his mouth closer to her skin. Oh, how she wanted this! It didn't matter that he still had blood on him from the youkai he'd killed the day before or that she hadn't showered yet. All that mattered was getting closer to him and crawling into his skin.

"Tenpou!" The office door flew open and a tiny brown blur ran through the doorway, searching for him. "Tenpou! Kai told me you got hurt and I didn't even eat breakfast, cause I was too worried!" The patter of bare feet on the carpet as Goku came closer to the bedroom. "Tenpou! Are you sleeping?" Golden eyes widened at the sight of Tenpou and Chizuru in bed together. But, it was Goku and he had no idea what he had interrupted. "Chizuru!" Chains rattled as the little boy leapt on the bed, wiggling his way between the couple.

"Good morning, Goku." A long sigh slipped from Tenpou as he greeted the child. Covering himself as best he could, Tenpou sat up. At this rate, he thought he would never get to make love to Chizuru! A long, blonde ponytail came into sight. Wonderful. Goku brought Konzen, too. Tenpou grit his teeth at the unwelcome interruption.

"Goku!" Konzen glared at the child. "Don't jump around like a freaking monkey!"

"I'm not a monkey! Quit calling me that!"

"Stop acting like one and I'll quit calling you that."

Chizuru managed to right her clothes while Konzen and Goku argued. Leaving the bedroom, she brought in the trays and laid them down on the bed. "I thought you might show up, Goku, so I brought plenty of food." The child beamed at her. "There's lots of fluffy scrambled eggs, heaps of bacon, hashbrowns and probably an entire loaf of bread with lots of jelly to go with it." Chizuru dished out a plate for Tenpou.

"How did you know I like this type of food?" Tenpou scooped up some eggs and closed his eyes, savoring the first bite. They were just like he liked them, light and fluffy with just the right amount of salt and pepper.

"Kenren told me that you liked food from the lower world." A blush started to creep up her neck. "And I would watch you when you would come through the dining hall." That confession was made quietly. "I noticed that you ate food like this at breakfast and you ate more food at breakfast than any other meal." She finished up with a whisper.

"Aw, you had a stalker." Konzen made that sarcastic comment from the doorway. Chizuru stuck her tongue out at him, earning a giggle from Goku and a frown from Konzen. A plate heaped with eggs, bacon and several slices of toast with plenty of jelly, was handed to Goku and he dug in.

"Konzen?" Chizuru picked up the last plate, her one eyebrow raised. "What would you like?"

"I'm fine. I was up long before Goku and I've already eaten." A rare smile graced his face. "Eat. You have to keep your strength up if you're going to be taking care of this one." He pointed at Tenpou.

After dishing herself out a plate, Chizuru leaned against the headboard of the bed, right next to Tenpou and started to eat. She watched Goku polish off his breakfast and reach for more toast, not bothering to put any jelly on it. There was a knock on the door and before anyone could answer, Kenren's voice came booming through the office.

"The incredibly handsome, long legged General…" A sweet voice interrupted his speech. "Incredibly full of himself, is more like it."

"Hey! I'm just stating the facts here, Kai. Anyway, like I was saying…oh, the hell with it! We're here!" Kai passed through the doorway, a woven basket in her hand, smiling at Konzen as she passed him and went right to Tenpou, her mind already on his injury.

"How do you feel this morning? Any pain?" At Tenpou's shake of his head, Kai continued with her questions. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine." Tenpou looked around the room. "Did you bring anything to drink, Chizuru?" Chizuru nodded and went into the office and returned with glasses and a carafe of orange juice. She poured a glass for Goku and one for Tenpou.

"Fine?" Chizuru let out an impatient snort. "You were all over the bed last night! "

"Tenpou! You dog, you!" Kenren lit a cigarette. "You're injured and you still manage…" He trailed off when he saw the blush on Chizuru's face. "I mean, uh…well, good thing Chizuru was here, just in case you needed her." Kai rolled her eyes. She knew Chizuru wouldn't have left Tenpou's side last night but of course, Kenren's mind was in the gutter, as usual.

Goku piped up. "How did you get hurt, Ten-chan?"

Tenpou sipped his juice before answering Goku. "As you know, we were sent down to stop a youkai that had been attacking a village down below. When Kenren and I got there, it had a little girl trapped against a tree. She was probably no more than four years old and she was crying, holding her little stuffed bunny in front of her. I ran to her and drew my sword and killed the youkai." Tenpou took another bite of toast. The rest of the group were silent, waiting for him to finish the story.

"And then what happened?" Goku forgot about his food, too caught up in the story. "What happened to the kid?"

"Kenren and I took her home while the other soldiers buried the youkai."

Kenren took up the tale. "She was clinging to me, like a monkey." He grinned at Goku, who stuck his tongue out at Kenren. "I managed to calm her down and she was fine until we got her home. Her aunt had been searching for her and once they saw each other, they both started bawling." Snuffing out his cigarette in the frog ashtray, he continued. "The little girl's parents had been killed a few days before by the same youkai and when she came up missing, her aunt and uncle panicked. Once they saw she was ok, everyone calmed down and they thanked us…a lot." Kenren scratched the back of his head. "I was a little embarrassed cause I really didn't do shit. It was all Tenpou."

All eyes were on Tenpou but the Field Marshall just ignored them and finished his breakfast. He wasn't going to tell them the real reason he risked his life for that little girl. With her long blonde hair and huge hazel eyes, she looked just as Tenpou imagined Chizuru would have looked like as a child and before he knew it, he was running to her. The sound of her cries drowned out the loud voices of Kenren and the others. All he could see was a miniature version of Chizuru, alone and frightened with no one to save her.

Sensing that Tenpou wasn't going to give them any other information, Kai turned her attention to her best friend. "Chizuru, I brought you a clean set of clothes, soap, shampoo and anything else I thought you might need. Since Tenpou has his own bath, you might as well take advantage of it." Chizuru thanked her. "Tenpou, you can take a bath but please be careful not to get your bandages wet." Tenpou nodded.

Kai ushered everyone out, saying that Tenpou still needed his rest and even though Goku pleaded with his huge eyes, begging to stay with his Ten-chan and Chizuru, Kai held firm. Collecting the dirty plates and glasses, Chizuru went to leave to return them to the kitchens, but Kenren grabbed the tray.

"You stay here. I think I can handle returning a few dirty plates to the kitchens." Handing the glasses to Goku, Kenren put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "What say, after we take these back, we go help Kai look for herbs?" Goku's cheer echoed up and down the hallway and saying her goodbyes, Chizuru shut and locked the door. Tenpou did need rest and she didn't want any other disturbances for the rest of the day. Making her way back into the bedroom, Chizuru heard the water running. Tenpou was brushing his teeth, Chizuru's toothbrush on the edge of the sink, all ready for her to use.

Butterflies flittered around in her belly as she walked into the bathroom and wet her toothbrush. Meeting his eyes in the mirror, Tenpou winked at her and to her horror, another blush crept up her neck, turning her cheeks a light pink. As she brushed her teeth, Chizuru argued with a voice in her head that sounded suspiciously like herself, only smuttier.

_Brush your teeth! Just ignore the shirtless, gorgeous man standing right next to you! With his boxers riding low on his hips…Oh Merciful Goddess! _

Ignore him? How about kiss him?

_Shut up! _

I'm not shutting up! Kiss him! Or maybe you have more…interesting things on your mind? Hmm? Like checking out those long legs again? Or how about that firm ass? Or those toes? God, those toes are sexy!

_Well, yes…NO! Shut up about his damn toes! Shut up and let me finish brushing my teeth!_

Spit, stupid! You look like a rabid dog with all of that toothpaste foaming out of your mouth.

_Oh Goddess! He's watching me! Ok, get a hold of yourself, Chizuru. Calm down. You're just spitting in the sink. Oh NO! I dripped on my shirt! Great, now I look like a total idiot!_

Just wipe it off and you'll be fine. Is he still watching?

_Yes._

You probably should stop talking to yourself.

_Good idea. _

"Chizuru?" Tenpou finished brushing his teeth and was watching Chizuru's face in the mirror. First, she looked upset as her brow knit together and then she looked mad. After spitting the toothpaste in the sink, she looked embarrassed. "Are you alright?"

"Yep! I'm fine!" She rinsed. Smiling at Tenpou, she would have looked alright, except for the ring of toothpaste around her mouth. Before she knew it, Tenpou was right in front of her, a towel in his hand as he wiped off the paste.

"There." Hand on her chin, Tenpou turned her face back and forth. "Oh, I missed a spot." Lips grazing hers, his body pressed up against hers, his tongue flicking in and out, wiping at the seam of her lips. She couldn't feel her knees anymore as she buckled against Tenpou, trusting him to catch her. Warm arms wrapped around her. The scent that was just so _Tenpou_ filled her nose and she was lost. The play of his muscles in his back as her hands roamed over his skin. His wicked tongue! Oh Goddess! She was getting so aroused by just kissing him.

Breaking the kiss, Tenpou slightly pushed Chizuru away from him. He was hard and aching and the last thing he wanted to do was take her like some animal. He wanted to take it slow, make her writhe under him when she found her pleasure and when he entered her warmth…Tenpou shuddered. This line of thinking was only arousing him more and he needed to stop. A cold shower! Yes, that was it. A cold shower…with Chizuru. Up against the wall, her legs wrapped around his waist…Shit! Stop it, Tenpou!

Through a haze of pleasure, Chizuru watched the expressions drift across Tenpou's face. Pleasure, pain and irritation. Before she could ask what was wrong, he had turned her around and pushed her out in to his bedroom.

"I'm going to take a bath and wash my hair." The door closed in her face. Standing there, just standing at the door, looking at it. Chizuru knew she should be upset by Tenpou's behavior towards her but after feeling how hard he was, she knew that he was affected by her. She smiled and went over to the bed, picking up the basket Kai brought and digging through it, humming a little tune. She could hear the tub filling and then, the water stopped.

"Do you need any help in there?" Covering her mouth, Chizuru tried not to giggle.

"NO! I'm fine!"

Laughter bubbled up from deep within her. She loved this man, everything about this man. Chizuru collapsed on the bed, holding her stomach which was beginning to ache from laughing so hard. The sound of splashing water reached her ears. Tenpou must be washing his hair. Silence for a few minutes and then more splashing. Now, the tub was draining. Maybe she should get out of his bedroom before he came out. Whoops. Too late.

Tenpou emerged from the bath, a white, fluffy towel over his wet hair and another white towel wrapped around his waist. A frown marred his handsome face as he looked at Chizuru. She smiled at him. He sighed and sat down on the bed next to her. Laying her head on his shoulder, Chizuru took a deep breath. He smelled like…well, to tell the truth, she didn't ever remember smelling anything like this before. But, his shoulder was warm and she rubbed her cheek against his freshly washed skin.

"What's that scent?"

"Hmm? Oh, the soap. Ivory."

"I've never heard of it."

"I found it in the lower world and I liked it so much, I brought back several bars with me. It floats in the tub." Chizuru lifted her head from his shoulder, a look of surprise on her pretty face. "Really, it does! Try it." Nudging her, Tenpou got her off the bed and soon, Chizuru was in a nice hot bath, the little white bar of Ivory soap, floating beside her.

Oh, this was wonderful! A tub not a shower with iffy hot water, fluffy white towels and not those threadbare rough towels that she normally used but the best part was having all this privacy. Chizuru soaked in the hot water, letting her mind wander for the longest time. After she noticed her skin puckering up, Chizuru decided it was time to finish up. Ducking under the water, wetting her long hair, she emerged and rubbed the water out of her eyes. Kai had brought her favorite shampoo and soon, her long hair was lathered and Chizuru ducked under the water, holding her breath as the soap drifted from her long locks. Quickly washing her body, Chizuru was out of the tub, hair wrapped firmly in one towel and another towel wrapped around her shapely body.

Now, if she could just find her clothes. Not there, not over here, either. Damn! She forgot to bring clean clothes in with her. Biting her lip, Chizuru went over her options. She could stay in here all day. No, that was cowardly. She could have Tenpou bring her clothes to her. That's just as cowardly. No, she was a confident woman! She could march right out in Tenpou's bedroom, get her clothes, her head held high…and run back into the bathroom, slamming to door behind her and locking it! Pumping her fist in the air, Chizuru smiled. Option 3, it is!

Throwing open the door, Chizuru ran face first into Tenpou's broad chest. Oh…my…He still only had that towel around his waist. Low around his waist, too low. Mouth dry, she looked up and met his emerald eyes with her hazel ones. They looked like they could consume her, all of her, right up against this door. Toes curling into the plush carpet, she tried to speak but she couldn't get her tongue loose from the top of her mouth. Maybe, if she just moved around him.

Arms full of sinewy muscle, were on either side of her head on the door jam. Crisp black hairs peppered his arms and even though she tried not to look, Chizuru couldn't help letting her eyes drift down, noticing the hairs on his legs. Those long, long legs and those toes! Forcing her eyes upward, she met his blazing gaze again. The tip of his tongue danced out, wetting his lips. Fascinated, she couldn't take her eyes off of his lips. She had to get out of this towel and get some clothes between her and Tenpou!

She moved to the left. Tenpou moved, blocking her way. She moved to the right and almost made it around him, when his body blocked hers and she was pressed up against the wall outside of the bathroom. The only sound in the room was their harsh breathing. Her small hands clutched at the towel wrapped around her body. Larger hands, with impossibly long fingers, were above her head, trapping her against the wall. Arms beside her head and then, his head, coming closer and closer. Closing her eyes in anticipation of his kiss, Chizuru was breathing so hard she felt like she was going to pass out.

Hot breath in her ear, drifting over her skin. A flick of a tongue. Warm skin against the back of her hands as Tenpou's chest brushed against her. Were those his toes on top of her toes? Still not speaking, Tenpou kept up his gentle assault, bringing his body closer and closer to Chizuru's smaller body, engulfing her in his body heat. Mouth drifting down her neck, little licks against her skin. A shot of desire stabbed her, low in her belly, making her breathing hitch and an steady ache settled between her legs. Wetness seeped from her core and Chizuru moved her neck, giving Tenpou better access.

"Do you know what it was like? Sitting out here, listening to you splash around in that tub?" His voice, oh, that sensual voice, soft and gentle in her ear. A finger traced the outline of her ear. "Do you want me to tell you what I was imagining while you were bathing?"

_No_. A tiny voice in her head rang out. Yes! A louder voice drowned out the other voice and she recognized the louder voice as the smuttier voice from earlier.

"Yesss." Chizuru barely got the word out before Tenpou's mouth covered hers in a searing kiss. Slipping his tongue between her teeth, rubbing that wicked tongue against hers in a mating ritual as old as time. Setting her body on fire with no intention of putting it out for some time.

"First," fingers threading her wet hair, "I imagined you laying back in the tub, wiggling your toes in the hot, steamy water. Once in a while, you would cup water in your hands, letting it fall over your breasts." The towel dropped from Chizuru's body and suddenly she didn't know what to do with her hands. Instinct made her want to cover up her breasts, but Tenpou's hands were faster, placing them around his neck. "Don't, please don't." Brushing his chest against her nipples, she could feel her breasts becoming heavier as her arousal grew. "I want to touch you, all of you."

"Where was I? Oh yes, your breasts." Hands cupped her breasts and Tenpou teased the rosy nipples with his thumbs. Hot breath in her ear, warm hands on her breasts, Chizuru was finding it hard to stand. With her arms wrapped around Tenpou's neck, Chizuru dug her fingernails into his shoulder blades and Tenpou hissed in pleasure at the feeling. "I imagined you soaping up your body, your hands drifting slowly over your breasts and I wondered if you were imagining they were my hands on your body." Chizuru moaned as Tenpou spun a web of desire around her with his hands and his words. "You rinsed off your body and then shampooed your hair, the bubbles from the shampoo dropping on your shoulders and breasts. Dunking under the water, your hair surrounded you, like a halo."

How could he make her body feel such things with just his hands and his words? Chizuru's body responded, liquid seeping from her core, making her thighs wet. Letting her hands drift over Tenpou's shoulders, Chizuru wanted more. More of his body, more of his touch and more of his words. She pressed her breasts into his large hands. Tenpou responded by shifting his hips, so that his towel covered arousal was against her lower belly, hard and thick.

"I can't take this anymore. Tenpou, take me to bed." Chizuru's entire body was shaking with desire. Barely able to stand, she was leaning up against the wall, letting it support her. "No more teasing, please. I'm begging you." She whispered out the last part.

"No more?" A flick of his wet tongue on her neck, his mouth sucking on her skin. Tenpou moved his hips away from Chizuru's body. "Aren't you enjoying this?" Slowly, his hand moved lower and lower until it was cupped at the juncture of her legs. A finger parted her folds, stroking her clit and making Chizuru moan loudly. One long finger entered her. "Gods, you're so wet." Tenpou's voice trembled. His control was beginning to slip and unless he got himself under control soon, he would be lifting her up and slamming into her over and over, until he found his release. "Touch me."

Chizuru needed no more urging than those two words. Starting at Tenpou's chest, she let her hands wander wherever they pleased. Over his back, feeling the play of his muscles under his skin, down to the small of his back, moaning as he added a second finger inside her. Clutching at his firm bottom as he thrust his fingers in and out. Whispering over his hip bones while she licked at his nipples, earning a groan and a full body shudder from Tenpou.

"Now who is the one doing the teasing?"

"If you can't take it, maybe you shouldn't have started it."

Curling his fingers up, Tenpou hit a spot deep within Chizuru and her walls tightened around him. After what seemed like an eternity to Tenpou, he felt the first brush of her fingers against his thick shaft. His thumb pressed against her clit and Chizuru wrapped her hand around him. A moan. Bodies becoming tense. Up and down, up and down, her fingers moved over his velvety hardness. Removing his fingers from her heat, Tenpou scooped Chizuru up in his arms, taking her over to the bed.

"Your stitches."

"I don't give a damn about my stitches right now." Laying her down on the bed, Tenpou moved over Chizuru, his emerald eyes boring in to her hazel ones. "There was one more thing I wondered about while you were in that damn bath." Nudging her legs apart with his knee, Tenpou kissed his way down her chest, down her belly, stopping to dip his tongue in her belly button.

"Wh…what were you wondering about?" Oh, gods! His mouth was right at her core and she could feel his warm breath on her skin.

"I wondered what you would taste like."

Chizuru's hands gripped at the sheets at the first feel of his tongue on her feminine flesh. Liquid was collecting on his tongue and Tenpou greedily lapped it up. Wave after wave of intense pleasure coursed through her body and Chizuru let out a ragged moan. She was so aroused that she knew it wouldn't be long before Tenpou would send her over the edge. Hips moving of their own accord. Harsh breathing filling the room. Toes curling into the rumpled bed sheets. Shivers up and down her spine and Chizuru threaded her fingers into Tenpou's brown locks and chanted his name. A hard press of his tongue and she was coming, her head arching back and her legs locking around his body.

Tenpou's mouth covered hers and she could taste herself on his tongue. One thrust and he was buried in her wet heat. Letting Chizuru's body adjust to his size, the lovers spoke softly.

"Am I hurting you?"

"No…gods, no." A moan against his throat. "You can move now."

A fleeting feeling of emptiness and then Tenpou was inside again, hot, hard and thick. Wrapping her arms around Tenpou's neck, lightly scratching his skin. A hiss sounded through the room as Tenpou picked up the pace. The bed shook with the force of his thrusts. Moans, names whispered out and feverish kisses. Chizuru restlessly moved her legs against Tenpou's, marveling at the feel of his crisp hairs against her smooth legs.

She moved her legs up and was rewarded with a feeling of intense pleasure. Resting his shoulder that was bandaged on the bed, Tenpou shifted so that he was slightly on his knees. Deeper and deeper, he moved inside her, the familiar ripples shimmering down his back. He was close, oh so close. As Chizuru's walls rhythmically tightened around his shaft, he knew she had reached another orgasm and he quickened his pace yet again.

Slanting his mouth over hers, swallowing her cries, Tenpou came, spilling his seed deep inside her. Chizuru could feel Tenpou pulsing deep within her. Bodies coated with sweat. Muscles relaxing and their breathing began to return to normal.

"I love you." A kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, too" A kiss on his shoulder as he rested his head on her shoulder.

They lay quietly for a few minutes, bodies sated and warm. Neither one could ever remember feeling so loved. Chizuru's fingers were lightly scratching Tenpou's back and he hummed in pleasure. He was sure he was crushing her and he moved off of her body. Chizuru moved to cuddle against Tenpou, dragging the blankets up as she moved. Within a few minutes, the lovers were fast asleep.

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"Are you clear on my instructions?" Li-Touten looked at the smaller man standing in front of his desk. He was sure the soldier wasn't the brightest man in heaven but beggars can't be choosers.

"Yes, sir." Fuck this. Souji didn't really care what Li-Touten's orders were. He was still determined to get back at the bitch for biting his tongue the other day. So what if she was with Field Marshall Tenpou? He couldn't watch her every minute of the day. And everyone knew that General Kenren was too busy with that little healer to be concerned where Tenpou's whore was.

Li-Touten could see the defiance in the ugly little soldiers face. In a flash, he was out of his chair and Souji was up against the wall, Li-Touten's hand around his throat, squeezing the breath right out of the smaller man.

"Perhaps I didn't make myself clear enough, Souji. This Chizuru is mine and mine alone. You touch her and I will make your death long and painful." Li-Touten moved closer, so that his mouth was almost touching Souji's ear. "Now, are you clear on my instructions?"

Souji mouthed the word, yes and Li-Touten let go of him. Immediately, Souji brought his hands to his throat, wincing at the pain Li-Touten had inflicted. He had heard stories of Li-Touten's cruelty but he didn't really believe them. It was rumored that this man, who considered himself one of the most powerful men in the heavens, beat his own son, Nataku. After this, Souji could believe every word and whispered rumor.

"Now, go and don't come back until you find her." Li-Touten dismissed the soldier with a wave of his hand. Souji turned and fled from the office.

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"Chizuru? What are you doing?" Tenpou was standing in his office, wearing only a pair of pajama bottoms. He had just woken up from their nap and his hair was messy, as usual and he was reaching for his pack of cigarettes. Sitting down in the big chair behind his desk, he lit one and dragged the frog ashtray to him.

"Working." Chizuru shelved another leather bound book.

"You can't work. You're supposed to be taking care of me." A halo of smoke wrapped itself around Tenpou's head.

A snort of laughter. "Please. If you're sick, then I'm the Merciful Goddess." Another book slid home on the shelf. "I swear, Tenpou! Can you put anything back to where it belongs? The maps are a mess again, the scrolls are all out of order and there must be at least a dozen paper airplanes scattered all around this room!" Tenpou ducked as one airplane dived at his head.

Grabbing it, Tenpou shot it back at Chizuru and watched as it fell well short of it's target. Emerald eyes narrowed playfully as Chizuru giggled. "That was impressive." Oh, so now she's moving on to sarcasm, is she? Tenpou stubbed out his cigarette.

"As your boss, I insist that you stop what you are doing and take care of me." Placing his palm over his bandaged shoulder, a look of pain flashed across his face. Here she was, teasing him about being sick and he really was in pain. Placing the books on a nearby chair, Chizuru went over to the large chair and bent down to inspect the bandages. Quick as a wink, Chizuru was in Tenpou's lap.

"Hello, beautiful." His arms tightened around her body and she lay her head on his shoulder.

"You're impossible."

"That's what they all tell me."


End file.
